Final Chance
by TheKaiSenpai
Summary: I've lived countless lives, and ruined many more. Yet at the same time, I've liberated others. Well, I got caught, so now this is my punishment. Regardless, I'll make my punishment my own blessing!
1. Chapter 1: My Destiny is Mine!

TheKaiSenpai doesn't own SAO or anything else used here, and this is just something he does when he's bored.

 **XXXXX**

 **A/N:**

 **Just a little note, if you've already read the first chapter, don't bother going past here. All I did was fix a few grammatical mistakes, and write out some inconstancies such as the [SP] system, which I've come to realize doesn't actually exist in the game. While the actual [UI] is up for debate, I'll be creating my own [UI] for the [Menu]. Just a few fixes such as Keito's skills and such, nothing really important.**

 **Chapter 1: My Destiny is Mine!**

November 11th, 2007. The year I was born. Well, not quite… You see, this wasn't my first time living. After speaking with God, or "Iaweh", as She called herself, I'd apparently made a deal with Lucifer to relive my life over and over in different dimensions in order to find some sort of fulfilment. As punishment, "Iaweh" cut off my deal, and forced me to live one final timeline. She promised me forgiveness when I died, but until then I was stuck living a life of uncertainty, a life she would not lay a finger on. Everything that happened to me would be made with my actions and decisions. No greater plan for me. No assured happy ending. It was my punishment. To be honest, I think She knew how much pain I had endured in my other lives. While I only remembered bits and pieces, I knew there had been a lot of heartbreak. I think She pitied me.

I was born to a Japanese family who lived in the middle class. I was intrigued, this was the first time I'd ever reincarnated into a family without political power. We lived just outside of Kyoto, and I immediately fell into the habits of my first life. As I grew older, I reacquainted myself with modern technology. iPhones, computers, and more importantly, video games. It started with Pokemon at age four. I missed those cute little pocket monsters and their interesting designs. I sighed, vaguely remembering a life where I had been a Pokemon Trainer. It then became StarCraft II at the age of seven, in 2013. While I never won the finals, I was in the top ten list every year I played in tournaments, and made the best of four every time in the Championships. After all, having several centuries of tactical experience as not only a ninja, but a Huntsman and a Pokemon Trainer would do such a thing. The biggest issue were my tiny fingers and readjusting to hotkeys. I went by the name DaTa. It was my gamertag for every game I played. And boy, did I play. Twitch streams. Youtube videos. Minecraft. Team Fortress 2. Evolve. Pokemon. I did as much as I could. And then fate hit. 2015. Tokyo airport, where I was travelling back from an SC2 competition. I met him. That Thai boy. That kid, adopted at the age of two. The kid who was so depressed on the inside, but hid it with a smile so the people closest to him wouldn't worry about him. My past self.

He had a smile on his face. He was headed to Thailand to visit his foster parents. I couldn't help myself. I approached him.

"Hello," I spoke to him in English. The boy gave me a curious look, a bit unsure about the random nine-year-old Japanese boy approaching him as if he were an old friend. I gave the eighteen-year-old a wide smile.

"Um… hi?" he spoke unsurely, a bit off-put. "Where are your parents, bud?" I chuckled, which I guess sounded weird from a small kid like me.

"I travel alone," I told him. "I'm mature enough to do so." I looked at the phone in his hand. "You're reading fanfiction?" He held his phone up and nodded.

"Uh, yeah. You speak really good English," he told me. "Good on you, kiddo."

"You play video games?" I asked him, ignoring his statements. I smiled widely. I would change his views on strategy and tactical thinking. He was lazy, unmotivated. He needed something to kickstart him. While I knew only being loved by a woman would give him the boost he needed, I could at least give him something to distract himself until he found such a woman. "Try StarCraft II. It's really fun!" He gave me a curious look.

"What? What's that?" he asked. I sighed and took a piece of paper and pen from my bag. I wrote down the name of the game, as well as my gamertag and email. And my real name. "Your name's Keito?"

"Suzuki Keito, nice to meet you," I introduced myself. "Look me up on Youtube from last year's championships. I didn't win, but it was fun." I turned away, walking off. I let a sly smile cross my face, my innocent expression of an almost preteen slipping into that of a cunning man at least three times my age. I knew it was a different timeline than the one I had lived in first, but it didn't mean I couldn't help my former self out a little bit. How little did I know that it wouldn't be long until I saw him again.

 **XXXXX**

I first realized what the change was when _it_ came out. NerveGear, produced by Akihiko Kayaba. At first I only just barely remembered his name. I'd heard of him numerous times, and his contributions to technological science, but never really knew who he was until now. The maker of Sword Art Online. The death game. I was hooked.

When the game was officially released, I begged my parents for a copy. At age fifteen, I was still considered kind of a kid. While I had a job, it was more of a way to pass the time until SAO came out. My parents, being understandably worried about video games, told me to purchase it for myself. While it's always been false that video games cause and desensitize people to actual violence, this game would change people's views on it forever. So I waited. I waited two weeks in a row, saving my spot at the front of the line for my copy of Sword Art Online. While I was there, I met a friend. My past self, who went by the gamertag of TheKaiSenpai. I remembered that name fondly. He had moved to Japan to teach English, and was currently engaged to a fellow teacher in the same neighborhood I lived in. My history teacher. He and his fiancé were both buying a copy of the game, as TheKaiSenpai was an adamant gamer who had strung the poor woman into playing with him. He had played during the beta test and loved what he saw, and wanted to introduce his fiancé to gaming. What better way than a fully immersive game? It took me a moment to think of why he'd bring her. At that point I'd know of Sword Art Online's history, before realizing that this was a different timeline. The light novel and anime didn't exist here. They didn't know of the dangers. And they wouldn't be prepared.

Still, I knew my past self was one to adapt easily to new things. There was no better place for him to adapt, then in a videogame. One that forced you to become more than a man. I smiled, knowing that this version of myself would be able to have some sort of happiness with his fiancé. He certainly did better than myself.

It wasn't long before I found myself logging into the game for the first time. I had left a note for my parents, explaining who I was, and what I knew. That I knew I wouldn't be back for several years. Unlike my other parents, I genuinely loved these ones. They were kind, considerate, and reasonable. They didn't expect almighty great things of me. They expected me to be average. To be a child when I was a child. To be a teen when I was a teen. To be able to decide for myself and learn who I was. They weren't just parents to me. They were teachers and friends. I could trust them with my secrets, something I couldn't do with any of my other ones. And I had just given them my biggest one.

"Link, start!"

 **XXXXX**

I could go into detail about my first few hours in the game, but I won't. I made my character, but I didn't care what he looked like. I knew it would be gone later, anyway. I started out in the same town everyone else did. I went into the same fields everyone else did. And I grinded. I levelled up to level three. I had equipped the [Skills]; [One-Handed Curved Sword] and [Leather Equipment]. Then it was evening. And everything began.

"Greetings, players! My name is Akihiko Kayaba, the head programmer of this game, Sword Art Online!" I blinked. This was not the normal spiel that Kayaba made in the anime. "As you can see, there is no longer the option to [Log Out] of the game. Don't worry, that's not a bug. It's a _feature_ of Sword Art Online." At that point the crowd erupted into frantic screams and yelling. "H-Hello? Hello. Hey, kinda talking here." Kayaba's giant [Game Moderator] avatar sighed. "Ok, just gonna disable the voice chat function for a min-" I blinked as a sound icon with a slash mark though it appeared over his head. This… seemed awfully familiar, but I couldn't quite place where from. The icon disappeared. "Yeah, yeah, I see what happened there, very funny. But now for what's important. You can no longer leave this game, and if someone from the outside tries to forcibly log you out by removing your NerveGear, well your brains will be fried faster than the cheap crap you get at Walt Disney World. Oh right, for the guys who are playing this game as girls, and you know who you are, I have a little surprise for you!" I blinked, noticing a notification of an item added to my [Inventory]. I pushed on the notification and chuckled as I stared into a mirror of myself. Suddenly, I was staring at my real face. Ahhh, much better. "I have ripped away the facades and masks you have created, revealing you all for what you really are." He paused. "Barely attractive twenty-somethings. Good for you. Really breaking down that whole stereotype."

"No…" I heard some girl whisper from beside me. I looked over, seeing a young woman with neatly cut auburn hair that reached down her back. Tears were welling up in her eyes. She was actually just taller than me, the sunlight gleaming off of her rather pale skin. Her chestnut eyes wide with fear. "No… I'm not even supposed to be here…" Her voice was quivering. I looked up above her head. Asuna. Fuck. It was her. "I'm not supposed to be here! Let me go!" Tears streamed down the girl's face. I sighed and reached over, resting my hand on her shoulder. Asuna jumped in shock, giving me a fearful expression.

"Don't worry," I said, hearing as Kayaba stated how we would have to beat all one-hundred floors of SAO to leave the game. "I'll make sure you stay safe."

"W-Who the fuck are you?" she exclaimed as Kayaba disappeared. I looked around and frowned, grabbing her arm and pulling her to a nearby corridor. "H-Hey! Get away from me! Let me go!"

"If you want to make it through this game, then come with me," I growled back at her, effectively silencing her. I felt a little bad, altering the fates of Kazuto and Asuna, but this was my time to forge my own destiny. My time to live the life I truly wished, without anything holding me back. No secrets. No guilt. No supernatural fights. No higher deity creating my story for me. Just me. We finally came to a stop right outside the central plaza, Asuna panting and shaking. She yanked her arm away from me.

"Just what the hell are you doing!? Who are you!?" she screamed, giving me the best death glare that she could in her terrified state. "Well? Answer me!"

"My name is DaTa," I replied to her. My eyes softened as I gazed at her shaking form. "Hey, it's ok. I promise that I'll get you out of here, ok? And, like one of my close friends, I never go back on my word."

"Why…" she muttered. "Why are you helping me… You don't even know me…" I chuckle and shrugged.

"I guess I can't help myself if I see a cute girl crying," I replied, ignoring the blush on her furious face. "Besides… I really want to help everyone I can get out of here. I'm done playing the villain."

"The villain…?"

"Ahhh, forget that. So whattya say, wanna [Party] up?" I gave her a wide smile. She looked away sheepishly. "What's up?"

"Well… I kinda don't know how to open the menu…" she whispered. I blinked.

"Say what?" I was at a loss. She what?

"I've never played a video game before, ok?" Asuna shouted defensively. "My brother bought this game but had to go to work before he could play, so I decided I wanted to try it and see why he likes these things so much!" She spoke so fast it was almost impossible to tell what she said, but I could tell what she had said. I sighed and pulled up my menu. I entered the party list and input her name. A window appeared in front of her, making her jump in surprise. "Ah!"

"Calm down, it's just a [Party Invite]," I told her.

"Wh-Wha? What's this do? What's a [Party]?" she asked rapidly. I sighed. This would be a while. I glanced around, noting the people running past. Some were walking, chatting nervously with others. The shock must have worn off, and they were now deciding what to do with their lives. The ones running must have decided to end theirs. Poor fools…

"A [Party] allows players to share [EXP], [Experience Points], which are needed to grow stronger in the game," I started to explain. She was focused on my words as we began to walk towards town. While a bit of a firecracker, she was one hell of a student. I could see the fear in her eyes diminishing, being replaced by fire and confidence. And most importantly, determination. I wrapped up my spiel after explaining how the game worked. We were currently sitting in a tavern in the Town of Beginnings. It was dark outside, and the streets were lit up by lanterns. But aside from NPC's, nobody was roaming the streets. Asuna was heartily eating the food in front of her while I picked at my steak. Oh, sure, it tasted perfect, but I knew it was simple imitation. I think Asuna was more excited about the prospect of not gaining weight from eating than anything else.

"So where do we go from here?" she asked after swallowing some mashed potatoes. I'd chosen a restaurant that served English food simply because I missed the comforts of my first life. While I loved Japanese cuisine with a passion, I enjoyed hamburgers and pizza and fish & chips as well. "I mean, you said this game would be almost impossible to beat because it's an… MMO, right?"

"Yeah," I said absently. I was wondering about my parents. They must have found my body by now. They must have read my note. I wondered what they were thinking? Were they angry? Disappointed? I knew they'd be upset. I was their child after all. My mother gave birth to me. I was of their blood. But at the same time, I was someone completely different. Would they still consider me their child? I sighed and turned back to Asuna, who was looking at me with a worried expression. "We'll have to train," I told her, making her eyes widen. "Gain [EXP] and grow [Levels]. By the end of this floor we want to be at least [Level] twelve if possible. From your weapon I can see you started with a rapier?" She glanced at her weapon.

"Uh, yeah!" she stammered. "Yeah, my mother had me take fencing lessons when I was a child. She was against it at first, but my father managed to convince her." She looked out the window. "I wonder how they are…"

"Worried, I'm sure," I told her, patting her hand. "Well, in that case you'll want to focus on your agility, so in your [Skill Menu], you'll want to equip [Light Metal Equipment] or [Leather Equipment] and [One-Handed Rapier]. Equipping [Sprint] and [Acrobatics] will help as well." She let out a thoughtful hum.

"And what about yourself?" she asked. "What kind of a weapon do you use?" I chuckled, pulling from my back sheathe a long blade with a slight curve to it. I wasn't sure what it was called, but it had a curved blade, which was what I was used to. I laid it on the table. It was a simple weapon with a wooden hilt wrapped in red linen, and a fairly sharp single edge. It was about four feet long in total.

"She's called Phoenix," I told her as she took the blade in her hands, appraising it. "I'm not much of a blade person. I prefer using Taiju- er, martial arts. But, in this kind of game a weapon is necessary. I'm thinking of exploiting the game, though."

"What?" Asuna exclaimed. "How? Are you gonna make some super badass weapon that will-"

"A staff." Asuna paused.

"What?" she said in a dazed tone. "A staff!? That's it!?" I shrugged, giving her a lighthearted look. "What happened to all that stuff about beating the game!?"

"A staff is a very deadly weapon in the right hands," I told her cryptically. I remembered how an old enemy of mine had destroyed legions of people with only a staff. While impossible in the real world, I could replicate the results in the game. "But rest assured, I'll only use it in emergencies." Asuna rolled her eyes, grumbling. "Now then, I believe we have a room rented." Her eye twitched. "Separate beds, rest assured." While the glare on her face didn't disappear, she only grumbled her complaints. I smiled lightly as I walked to the barkeep. This was the life I wanted. One of danger and adventure, but with friends. Or a friend, rather. One where I could be myself. I would forge my own destiny.

 **XXXXX**

As the week passed, I saw great improvement in Asuna. While she wasn't yet the "Flash" as people would call her, she was formidable. We mainly stayed near the [Town of Beginnings] at first, but after three days Asuna insisted we move further on. I was inclined to agree. The [Mobs] were becoming too easy. So we moved further out from the town. It was there that we found an inn in the middle of the forest. Only a handful of players had found it, and were taking their time using it as a base of operations. Unfortunately, it also meant players who had grown large egos due to coming so far out within a week.

"Another!" spoke one such player as he slammed his mug on the table, said mug shattering into polygons. The innkeeper was giving the man an annoyed look. Asuna and I had just wandered into the place after seeing the sign. [The Brave Buck Tavern] it was called. It was a simple two story inn with about fourteen rooms on the second floor. The bottom floor was obviously the actual bar and lounge. "Ahhh, that's good stuff! I'd never get alcohol in the real-" I frowned as the man's gaze swept over Asuna and myself. His stare stopped on Asuna. His four buddies were looking at her too. They looked… inebriated. "Ohoho! What a cutie!" he exclaimed, standing up from the table and strutting towards us. I tried to ignore him as I went to the innkeeper for a room and some food. Asuna could handle herself. "What's a pretty girl like you doing with some punk like him?"

"Excuse you?" Asuna growled. "I'll have you know that he's ten times the swordsman you'd ever be!"

"Ten times, huh? A pipsqueak like him!?" the man boasted.

"Hey, I know that name," one of his buddies chimed in. "[DaTa], he's that one SCII player!" I felt a hand slam itself onto my shoulder. My eye twitched. I hated bullies. "What's a guy like you doing out of your league, huh? This is a VRMMORPG, kid, not some hotkey mashing pussy game!" I sighed and pulled down my menu, looking for the name of Asuna's heckler in the [Nearby Players] list. I brought up his name and pressed [Duel].

"What the hell?" the guy exclaimed. I turned to face him. His cocky grin formed as he turned to me. "The little shrimp wants to fight, eh? Alright then. Easy win." He hit [Accept], and brought out a rather large mace. I sighed and drew my katana, crouching a bit as I held the blade in a reverse grip, my left hand bent in front of me, ready to grab any incoming attack. "Are you stupid? You can't use any Sword Skills like that!" he laughed, the guy's pals joining in. I sighed as the counter went down. Three seconds. Two. One. "Take thi- guh!" As soon as he raised his mace up to strike, I dashed forward.

"Executioner's Blow," I muttered. To the normal eye, it would look like I simply swiped across his stomach as I rushed past. But the many laceration wounds on his body said otherwise. His form was decorated in slashes and strikes, all made within the span of a second. I stood, turning to face him with a bored expression on my face. "You may have strength, but you're too choreographed and flashy in your moves. Against a [Mob] it means little, but against another player, it would mean your end." I turned to Asuna. "Learn from the mistakes of the foolish." Asuna nodded.

"R-Right!" I motioned for her to follow me upstairs. As soon as we reached our room and closed the door, I couldn't hold back my laughter. "Hey, what's so funny!?"

"Oh God, I haven't used that tone in so long!" I managed between breaths of air. "Ahhh, the teacher voice! I remember why I loved it so much!"

"Say… wha…?" Asuna was at a loss for words. I smiled and laid down in bad, shaking my head.

"Don't worry about it," I told her after finally calming down. "Just an old thing between me and some friends."

"You keep talking about these friends of yours," Asuna muttered. "What were they like?" I sighed and gave her a soft smile. "W-What?"

"It's been a long while since I've seen them," I told her with a somber tone. "They were all… such good kids…" I sighed, closing my eyes, only to feel the weight shift on my bed, and Asuna's hand resting on mine.

"I'm sorry…" she apologized. "I didn't know…" I shrugged her off.

"It's ok," I told her, pushing her off my bed. "Go to sleep, we have a long day tomorrow." I gave her a smile when I saw the worried look still on her face. "Hey, I'll be fine. Just sleep, ok? You need it." She nodded slowly before turning off the light, laying in her own bed. "Night, Asuna."

"Goodnight, DaTa," she replied.

 **XXXXX**

It would be two more weeks until we made it to [Tolbana] with the other players. It was a fairly large city. While not the same size as the [Town of Beginnings], it had enough room to house several thousand players. It was there that I met my friend as well. He was wearing a simple brown leather armor with a few metal armor plates covering his shoulders, arms, and legs. He had a massive grin on his face as he walked beside his fiancé, speaking loudly. The woman had a soft smile on her face that expressed her amusement. Strapped to his back was a rather small circular shield, and sheathed on his left waist was a simple iron longsword that could be bought in a store. The woman walking with him was of fair complexion, even paler than Asuna. Her hair was dyed a light green, and was let flowing freely over her shoulders. Her eyes were a soft blue, and had a gentleness to them that didn't really belong in a game like this. She wore simple cloth armor made for those of non-combat oriented play, meaning she must have allowed TheKaiSenpai to do all the fighting, and she would be his backup. The housewife, I figured.

"Oi! TheKaiSenpai!" I called in greeting, getting the man's attention. I waved when he turned to me, his smile growing.

"He-Hey, little buddy!" he laughed on the first word. "Looks like you're doing good, DaTa. Oh, and call me Kai, it's a lot less of a mouthful to say." He glanced at Asuna. "Ohoho, and you've got a friend, eh?" He nudged me knowing me. I tried to ignore the glare Asuna was giving to my back. "Not bad, quite a looker for her age. Guh!" Kai dramatically fell to the ground when his fiancé punched him on the shoulder. It was more of a love tap, but he didn't seem to care. "Ayako-cha~aan…" he moaned in faux pain. Ayako sighed and gave Asuna and I a polite smile.

"Forgive him," she said in a smooth voice that was almost reminiscent of water flowing down like a creek. It was high pitched and had a nice ringing to it. "He's… kind of an idiot…" She sighed dreamily. "But… he's _my_ idiot…" She frowned and glanced at Kai. "Honey, aren't you going to introduce me?"

"Ah, yes!" he stood up quickly, I was afraid he might break something. "You know her real name, bud, but this is TheAyaSenpai."

"He told me it was a good name," TheAyaSenpai grumbled. "I thought it sounded ridiculous. Please, call me Aya." Kai clutched at his heart in mock pain.

"Gah! My precious Aya-hime! So cruel!" Aya flushed, trying to force an annoyed expression on her face. Kai immediately dropped his act and gave me a calm look. "It's good to see you made it out, buddy. I've been hearing we already lost two-thousand. I'm glad you weren't one of them." He nodded to Asuna. "Keep him safe."

"Yes, sir," Asuna replied meekly. She had been trying not to laugh during the whole show made by the couple, but now seemed to be a bit intimidated by the sudden change.

"I'm glad you made it, too," I told Kai. I glanced at Asuna. "Say, there should be an inn near here, if you wanna get more potions and-"

"Actually, there's an inn just down the street," Kai spoke up. He looked to Aya. "Why don't you and Asuna grab some gear and meet us there? DaTa and I will get everything sorted out at the inn."

"[The Hearty Mug], yes?" Aya asked, receiving a nod from Kai. She smiled and rested her hand on Asuna's shoulder. "Let's go. The boys don't need us right now."

"Wha- but-," stammered the auburn-haired girl as she was dragged away by Aya. "DaTa!"

"Seeya, Asuna!" I waved back to her as I walked beside Kai.

"Dammit, DaTa, come help me!" Asuna's angry voice trailed off as Kai and I walked on. The man chuckled, looking down at me. He had his hands in his pockets, and walked at a leisurely pace.

"So," I started, "you went for heavy weaponry, huh? Compensating?" I smirked as he flinched at the jib, before smiling a bit.

"Oh, a wise guy, eh?" his grin grew as he spoke. "I'll let you know that Aya-chan says I'm just the right fit for her!" I blushed a bit, but rolled my eyes. "Yeaaaaah, and just what have you and Asuna done? Bet ya got her wrapped around your finger. Or…" He drooped his eyes mockingly. "Maybe it's the other way around, you little 'samurai'? Hm? Hm?" I swat his hands away when he poked me a few times.

"Nothing like that," I told him. "Believe me, I wouldn't mind it, but right now I don't want to take advantage of her. Not in this kind of situation." He chuckled. "I'm serious! I promised to be a guardian for her. If she wants me to be more…" I trailed off.

"You don't want to make the first move," he deduced, his voice calm and collected as we entered the inn. It was a quaint place with a homey interior. Nothing really special, maybe just a bit more lush than most other residences. "I made that mistake when I was your age, bud," he told me. I knew that. I had been him, once. "Just… don't let her get away." I turned to see him. He had a sad expression on his face. We both remembered the ones who had left us for another. I hoped Aya wouldn't do the same.

"I just want to wait a while," I told him. "Until things settle down a bit. I want her response to be rational and-" He laughed, crossing his arms.

"Rational? Women?" he joked, though his tone begot his partial seriousness. I winced. He still didn't really trust women all that much. "Let's be honest, they're human just like us. They fuck up. They hurt people. Just like us. Like…" Like me. I knew what he meant. He was still hurt. "Aya,-chan, though… She might just be different. I hope she is." But I still don't trust her completely, was the unspoken phrase. "She already knows what I mean. And yet she's stood beside me. She must be hurting, and I'm scum for doing such a thing to her. But…" He shook his head, looking down at me as we approached the bar where the innkeeper was. "Anyway, let's get what we told the girls we'd do, done. Hello there, _mon amie_!" he spoke to the innkeeper, getting a few odd looks from the other players.

"Ah, hello, hello! How can I help you, boys?" spoke the rather hairy [NPC] behind the counter.

"Two rooms, two occupants each," he explained, setting down a bag of [Col] on the counter. I frowned, hearing the whispers behind us.

"Hey, isn't he the foreigner…?"

"Yeah, what's he doing with DaTa? He's a Youtuber, isn't he?"

"Trash like him doesn't deserve to be around someone famous like DaTa!"

"Shhh, calm down! We can't do anything about it right now. With any luck they won't [Party] together."

"Thanks, mate!" Kai exclaimed, tossing me a key. I fumbled with it, but managed to keep it from falling to the floor. "Heh, better be attentive, bud. I might just beat ya in SCII once we get outta here."

"In your dreams, punk," I smirked. We sat off to the side at an empty table, waiting for the girls. "So, sword and shield?" I inquired his choice of weaponry. He grinned.

"Apparently I'm Aya-chan's 'knight in shining armor' or some such. So I decided to play the part!" He chuckled sheepishly. "And I was hoping to start a [Guild] sometime when I started the game. Something inspirational that players can get behind. Well, as [Guild Master] I'd have to be both the sword to rally behind and the shield to protect my members. I thought it was some nice symbolism."

"Yeah, yeah, it works for you," I complimented the older man. "I think you should still start a [Guild]. It would bring these guys some hope. That's exactly what these people need."

"And what about you, DaTa?" he asked seriously, leaning forward on the table. "You're obviously pretty good at the game, since your [Level] is about three above the average player. For a non-beta tester anyway. I mean, [Lvl] ten already, that's pretty good." He paused. "I think you could start your own [Guild]."

"What!?" I exclaimed in shock. "Me? A leader? No, I'd be terrible!"

"You don't fool me, DaTa," he spoke in a low town. " _She_ told me who you were. Or rather, what you were. You've done things so many could only dream of." I cursed under my breath. "She only told me that She'd give me a happy ending because you sacrificed your own for me. So I'm in your debt. But rest assured, I'll help you create your own." He winked. "After all, nobody deserves to live a life of pain and suffering." He sat back once more.

"Did She tell you…?"

"Only that you were a… traveler. Nothing about who you were before. Only that you were a great leader in many of those places you visited," he said smoothly, as if nothing were abnormal about it. "I won't bring it up again. I just thought it would be fair for you to know that I know."

"Thanks," I replied, only just hearing Asuna's voice on the other side of the window. I glanced over and saw Aya and Asuna laughing and smiling as they walked inside, with Aya immediately seeing us and directing Asuna in our direction.

"We must spend more time together, Asuna," Aya spoke with grace. "It's been refreshing having another well-mannered lady to speak to. Not like this dummy." She sent a fake glare towards Kai, who grinned almost evilly. No, not evilly. Perversely. Aya caught the look and blushed furiously before Kai's face returned to normal when Asuna looked between them.

"Well, I think Aya-chan and I are gonna have an early night," he said without missing a beat, standing up and stretching. Aya's blush deepened.

"Ahahaha, y-yeah," the mentioned woman slightly backed away, taking Kai's hand in her own. Quickly, they made their way upstairs. I could hear running, and a door slamming closed not long after. I glanced at Asuna, who seemed a bit confused.

"They're gonna have sex," I stated bluntly, enjoying watching the massive blush crawl up the girl's face. I smirked.

"Why would you tell me that!?" she shrieked in a hushed tone. "You jerk!" she shouted, punching me in the arm as I laughed. She huffed in annoyance, but didn't seem too bothered aside from the initial shock of my statement. She looked away for a moment before glancing at me.

"Hey… do you have anyone waiting for you outside?" she asked. It took me a second to realize she meant outside the game, not outside the inn.

"Nope," I replied, shaking my head and shrugging. "Despite my charming personality, I'm not really dating anyone. Just… didn't think of it." She looked down, grasping at her left arm.

"Right…" she mumbled. "Say…" she cut herself off and shook her head. "Nevermind! So, where should we head next? I'm thinking maybe the fields and gain a few more [Levels]. I'm almost at [Level] 11!" I nodded, giving her a once over. Was she considering me already? No, she probably had some doubts. It'd only been a month. Then again, a lot can happen in a month.

"Sounds good. I need some [Materials] to upgrade my baby, here," I pointed my thumb to the katana strapped to my back, making Asuna roll her eyes. "If I can give it a good enough upgrade, it should last me until the back end of [Floor Two]. A [+4] should work." I blinked. "Oh, and I forgot that we unlocked our third [Skill Slot] some time ago." I pulled down my menu and shifted through my [Skills].

"What!?" Asuna growled as we walked towards the edge of town. "You just remembered that!?" The girl huffed and pouted, doing the same as I did while we walked. I looked through the directory at my unlocked [Skills], and chuckled. I picked [Battle Tempo] and looked at its description:

[A combat skill that allows the user to cause 4x damage within a second after unsheathing their weapon, and a guaranteed mini-critical with every tenth attack.]

I smirked. Kayaba was obviously intending for players to have different styles of combat within the game. It just so happened that this [Skill] matched up with my preferred fighting style. While not perfect, it could work. I equipped it. I looked over and saw Asuna sliding a [Skill] to her empty [Skill Slot]. "[Acrobatics]? Good choice." She huffed and sent me a sly smile.

"Well you _were_ the one who suggested it," she told me. "Besides, it looked interesting." I rolled my eyes as I moved my equipped blade from my back to my waist. It would make it much easier to use the [Skill] I had equipped. I smiled as we approached the forest. Finally, now I could get this started!

 **XXXXX**

 **[Floor One] [Tolbana, The Hearty Mug Inn] [November 29** **th** **, 2022] [TheKaiSenpai]**

I gazed at the Japanese woman lying beside me, the blankets and her own lime green hair covering her lovely form. Suzuki Ayako, the woman who had fallen in love with me. And the woman I, in turn, had fallen in love with. It had been years since I had last laid in bed with a woman, but none could compare to this. In the real world, we had lived separately. While we would occasionally hook up for a late-night rendezvous, we never stayed the full night. We had classes to teach, after all. But here… I could finally spend quality time with my Aya-hime. My precious woman, the only woman that meant anything in my heart. Oh, sure Asuna was cute, but she was a friend of Keito's. Not particularly _my_ friend. Yet still…

I closed my eyes once more, my hand resting atop my fiancé's. It was so small compared to mine. So fragile. I felt bad, having dragged her into this game. She never had an interest in games like I did. I had hoped this would become a game we could just play when we had free time at home. A way to bond, if you will. But I could never have imagined this situation. Ayako's hand wrapped around mine, squeezing it. I opened my eyes, seeing that another pair were staring back into my own.

 _"Is it morning?"_ she asked in English. Her accent was thick, but her pronunciation was spot on. I nodded, pulling her closer to me, making her squeak in surprise. I smiled, enjoying the warmth of her flesh against mine. As digital as this world was, Kayaba did a damn good job in getting details down. _"K-Kai-kun! So shameless!"_ her words were harsh, but there was no bite. In fact, she snuggled even closer to me. I glanced up at her [Level]. She was only at [Level] nine, but she didn't need much more than that. I had insisted she gain a few to open up more [Skill Slots]. That was the only reason she had done such. She only had [Tailoring], [First Aid], and [Musical Instrument]. I was the fighter between us two, and she was my support. _"M-More…"_ she whimpered, grasping at my hidden sword. I chuckled and gave her a quick kiss.

"Not right now," I told her, making her pout. "We have some more [Grinding] to do."

"I know~" her reply was soft and sultry. I felt shivers run down my back. Damn, it was hard to resist this woman! It was even harder when she still had her glasses, so thank God for small blessings.

"Not that kind!" I shouted in a hushed tone, standing up and stretching. I let out a yawn as I re-enabled the [Ethics Filter], equipping myself with my gear. Ayako sighed and did the same, though took a lengthy amount of time to spite me. I simply smiled and watched her.

"You know, as your senior, you should be doing as I say," she grumbled, but the negative tone wasn't in her voice.

"Mmm, but you enjoy it when I take charge," I jested, giving her rear a good smack, making her jump and giggle. "Let's get going. We're almost to [Level] ten, and I want to get the next [Skill Slot] unlocked!"

"You just want me to get the [Cooking] [Skill]," she teased as we left our room. "Not that I blame you~" I rolled my eyes and took her hand in mine. I didn't have to even look to know she had a blush on her face. "I-Idiot… Making me fall for you so hard…"

"I have no clue what you're talking about," I replied nonchalantly. She punched my shoulder weakly. I shot smug grins to the guys staring at her as we walked to a table on the bottom floor. I got nasty glares in return. I loved messing with people. "All I did was get down on one knee and-"

"Before that, you jerk," she murmured while we sat. "You were so romantic and nice."

"Were?"

"Are," she corrected herself. "Jeez… every day with some sort of snack and a compliment… Some sort of romantic one-liner that I honestly should have hit you for."

"You did," I groaned. "I have the bruises to prove it."

"Oh shush, you big baby," Ayako smiled, teasing me. "But still… You pretty much hardwired me to fall in love with you." She pouted. "Such a manipulative man. But… I don't dislike being with you." She giggled. "Especially since I know your weakness now!" I cringed. "Yeah~" Her eyes went big, and my fiancé pouted, looking up at me. "Please… can I go out and buy some more clothes today, Kai-kun…?" Her voice was a near whimper. I sighed and closed my eyes.

"Fuck you. Yeah, you can," I replied almost on instinct. She gave me a sweet kiss and stood.

"You'll get a nice surprise tonight~" I grinned widely, watching as my woman sauntered out of the room, hips swaying. I grinned, knowing that the other guys in the room were drooling, and enjoying the knowledge that she was all mine.

 **XXXXX**

 **Omake: My Partner**

 **[Floor One] [Labyrinth] [December 4** **th** **, 2022] [11:20 AM] [Asuna]**

"Hiya!" I let loose a flurry of blows upon the Kobald Grunt in front of me. Littered with puncture wounds, it broke into pieces after a frozen moment. I glanced at my partner, DaTa. He was… weird, for sure. He had these moments where he'd just zone out in the fight. Yet he was deadly. He never wasted an action. All of his movements were fluid. He was a force of nature. But it made me wonder once more, who was he in the real world? He hardly ever used [Sword Skills], so he must have been an experienced sword user. He mentioned old friends, but never more than passing phrases and vague references that they were dead. He was just so confusing! Even after a month, I didn't even know what his stupid favorite color was! He'd just make some absurd joke about naruto and keep going as if he didn't just spout some stupid random comment!

And yet… I was still here, fighting beside him. He had this charm about him that just made you want to fight beside him. To trust him. I guess it was because he was so kind when he didn't have to be. Even to me, a complete stranger. Maybe that's why I went with him all those weeks ago. He was just so… down to earth. Almost like my grandfather. Such a mystery, but one I'm confident to solve!


	2. Chapter 2: Cowardice

TheKaiSenpai doesn't own SAO or anything else used here, and this is just something he does when he's bored.

 **XXXXX**

 **Chapter 2: Cowardice**

 **[Floor One] [Tolbana, The Hearty Mug Inn] [December 1** **st** **, 2022] [7:30 AM] [DaTa]**

I sighed, taking a long sip of my hot chocolate. It was pretty brisk outside at this time of day, and the fireplace in the corner of the inn did little for most of the room. It was something realistic that I'd wished Kayaba had made a little less so. Still, outside would be nice and warm later on. I glanced at the streets, which were already beginning to bustle with life. Vendors opening their shops. Human [Apprentices] learning their crafts from said vendors. Aya had passed through not an hour before, stopping to grab some breakfast before heading down to the street corner where she would be 'learning' how to play the violin. While she was apparently an expert musician in real life, there was a difference between playing in the game, and real life. The same with all crafts. Kai had even joked that he might take up piano again.

As the day began, more and more players came down to the first floor of the inn to grab breakfast, then head out to [Grind]. Asuna had been out particularly long the day before, so I decided to let her grab some extra hours of sleep. I finished my drink, and headed outside, nearly shivering in the colder morning air. I found myself wandering to the central plaza, where small-time shops had opened up for basic weapons and materials. Since the beginning of the game, several [Guilds] had also popped up. They were small for the most part, but I recognized the [Aincrad Liberation Force] and the [Holy Dragon Army]. There were a few other small [Guilds] that caught my eye, but nothing too special. It costed a decent amount of Col to start a guild, and a starting membership of at least three players. I grinned, seeing as Kai had already set up a table around the small courtyard. [The Hopeful Foxes] was the name of his guild, with his fiancé and some other girl standing beside him. Well, to call her a girl would be untrue. She was a woman who looked just a bit older than Kai. She was quite pretty, with black hair in a hime-style cut, and piercing bright red eyes that seemed to give off the appearance of royalty. She stood almost like a statue, rigid, a two-handed battleaxe under her control. The head was resting perpendicular to the ground, but ready to be swung at a moment's notice. The part that surprised me, though, was that she was smaller than Kai. Even Aya was taller than the Thai man.

"Come and join us!" he shouted enthusiastically. "All new members get a free meal, all expenses paid by me!" Aya giggled at her fiancé's shouting, before finally seeing me and waving me over. I smiled and walked over to the table. Kai's eyes met mine. "Hey, little buddy! Guess what? I've already got five members in my guild!"

"Really? You managed to snag three weirdos who want anything to do with you?" I asked him with a sly tone. He chuckled and shrugged.

"Well, I think it has more to do with the lovely ladies standing beside me," he admitted. "Aya-chan's pretty convincing when she needs to be. Oh! And this is Amako!" He gestured to the stern looking woman. "Say hi, Amako."

"Greetings."

"Ain't she a ray of sunshine?" he grinned widely when he said those words, but anyone could tell it was forced. "That's been, like, her seventh word all day." He jumped on the table and stared at Amako, his eyes squinted as he glared at the woman. "Speeeeeaaaaaak!" Amako frowned and punched the man, sending him flying across the courtyard. His body slammed into the fountain in the middle. While both man and object were unharmed, Kai seemed dazed and dizzy. "Daaaaamn she's strong as fuck…" Aya couldn't stop her giggles, and was releasing full blown laughter. It was a pretty laugh, if someone could call laughter that. Not really obnoxious or anything.

"K-K-K-Kai-kun! Are you ok?" the lime haired woman's laughter was interrupting her speech. She had run over to her fiancé's side, holding him in her arms. She did nothing to reprimand Amako, though. This was probably a common occurrence. "You dummy! This is the fourth time she's done this. Don't you get tired of it?"

"Meh, not like it hurts at all," Kai replied, standing up slowly, brushing the dust off of his shoulders. "Besides, we're bestest friends, right Amako?"

"Don't refer to me as that," Amako replied in a serious tone. I could see it, the coldness in her eyes. She didn't want to enjoy life here. She didn't want to make friends. She wanted to either win this game, or die. She was what Asuna would have become if I hadn't interfered. She was hurting, and was hiding it behind an icy exterior.

"DaTa," a feminine voice called out behind me. I turned around, spotting Asuna in the crowd. Her eyes were locked on me, furious. I had completely forgotten I'd left her in the room. I grimaced. "Where the hell were you! When I woke up you were nowhere to be found!" She had grabbed my shoulders and was shaking me, making me stumble when she finally released me. The auburn-haired girl glanced around her. "Wha- a [Guild] showing? Are we joining a [Guild]?"

"Actually…" I started, "I was thinking of forming one. Maybe later on, but Kai here has one started." I glanced at the man who was back behind his table, chatting amiably with some guy that was only a little older than myself. "He's been pretty busy, and has a decent starting amount of members." I looked back towards Asuna. I pursed my lips, looking between her and [The Knights of the Blood Oath]. I froze. It was him. His armor and weapons were different, but it was undeniable. It was Heathcliff. I sighed, my brain formulating a plan. I knew who he really was. And I wanted this game to go fully to the end. I wouldn't sacrifice anyone I cared about to end it early. But when he made his reveal… his [Guild] would need a leader. I glanced at Asuna once more, her expression turning to concern.

"Hey, are you alright?" she asked cautiously. "You seem kind of out of it." I waved her off.

"I'm fine," I told her. No. I'd save her another day with me. Just… until the boss room. Then I'd let her go. "Hey, let's take today off, alright? We're both [Level] eleven, so we should be fine for the boss room whenever we find it. How about we go shopping and grab something to eat? On me." Asuna sent me a skeptical look.

"You… have never offered that before…" she noticed aloud. "What's going on?" I gave her a cheeky grin and took her hand. "H-Hey! Let go!"

"C'mon, Asuna! Let's live a little!" I took off down the street, ignoring the curious looks sent our way. I essentially dragged her with me as I forced her to have a good time. The day couldn't possibly have been long enough. While she was worried at first, it slowly gave way to her having fun and enjoying our time together. For me? Well, I loved spending time with my friends. I hadn't been able to do this so often in any of my lives. I felt happy, truly happy, for the first time since I'd come to this world. When the sun set, and we returned to the inn, we both found a corner by the fireplace and sat together on a rather small couch. She was sat up in a proper posture, while I was a bit more relaxed, slumped over. Both of us had a book in hand from the bookstore we found in town. Kayaba was an amazing programmer, having included different novels from all over the world. His insight for detail was unparalleled.

After about an hour, Asuna let out a yawn. The soft chatter of the inn barely overtaking the crackle of the fireplace. I was relaxed. I was happy. And come tomorrow, I would leave this type of life for a very long time. Despite wanting to make my own life happy, I knew Asuna wouldn't learn to be truly strong as she was with me. She needed a position of power to become independent in action and thought. Right now, she was reliant on me. It would hurt her when we left the game. So I had to push her to the [KoB].

"Are you tired?" I asked Asuna as she placed her book back into her inventory. The girl let out an affirmative hum as she stretched, laying her head on my shoulder.

"DaTa?" she asked softly. I shifted my shoulder so it's make a better pillow for her. A bit hard when your shoulder was as bony and rather skinny like mine. I was by no means heavily muscled. "What's your favorite animal?" A bit of a random question.

"Why do you ask?" I inquired the girl. I heard her growl.

"Just answer me, you idiot," she grumbled. I thought for a moment. Throughout all my lives, my favorite animal had changed. But… I suppose the one I loved the most, and had held over through time and space was…

"Foxes," I said, making her snort.

"Really? You mean like Kai's [Guild]?" she asked through slight giggles. "Jeez, is it really? What a coincidence!"

"Yeah… coincidence…" I muttered under my breath. If she heard me, she didn't say anything.

"I've always really liked dogs…" Asuna told me after a moment. "Corgi's in particular. They're so cute with their stubby little legs and innocent face!" I remembered a particular corgi that had a penchant for trouble. "I asked my mother for a dog, once. She said that I wasn't responsible enough for one… I mean, I was only ten when I asked her. Even my brother told me that maybe I could get one when I was older." She paused, looking up at me. "Looking back, I think they were right. I don't think I'm ready for a dog yet, even now." Her gaze swept back to the fireplace in front of us. She didn't speak another word. After a few minutes, I heard her soft snores from beside me. I chuckled and picked her up in a princess carry. While for most people, the system would force her awake and send her a harassment notice, I was exempt. The game came with privacy and trust settings; in which you could allow certain players to touch you in certain ways. She had enabled me to carry her, and I'd done the same for her.

I carried my partner to the floor above, and into our room. I laid her in the only bed we had. After a rather bad nightmare in which she would not explain to me, Asuna had demanded that we share a bed. Fully clothed, of course. Still, I'd become her makeshift pillow. Oddly enough, her nightmares had become less common after. While every so often she'd still wake up in a cold sweat and breathing heavily, it was more along the lines of once or twice a week now, as opposed to almost every night. I wondered, in the back of my head as I laid in bed with her, about what her nightmares were about. Slowly, I drifted off into the realm of sleep. My own haunts plaguing me.

 **XXXXX**

 **[Floor One] [Tolbana, The Hearty Mug Inn] [December 2** **nd** **, 2022] [4:37 AM] [Asuna]**

I woke with a start, immediately sitting up in bed, feeling hot and sweaty. I couldn't remember what the nightmare was about. I never could. But I knew that they hurt. They scared me. I knew that whatever they were about, they were enough to make me cry when I woke from them. Thankfully, the tears weren't there this time. I felt empty, hollow. Like I'd lost someone important to me. It took me several minutes to regain my breath, but I managed. After glancing around the room and checking the time, I laid back down. I closed my eyes, wrapping my arms around the young man beside me. His body was so warm, yet so small at the same time. In the darkness, I could feel he was smaller than me. I could see his face, even from behind my closed eyes. I smiled, knowing how ridiculous it was to have memorized a face of someone I barely knew. But did I really? I mean, after a month it had to be impossible not to know the face of the man who saved you. That silky black hair that shined in the sunlight. The eyes of a madman who held so much love and excitement, but held it back for some reason. Sure, he and I teased one another every so often, but I could tell he wanted to say more than he let out.

I brought my hand to his face, tracing the normally creamy skin, and his rather effeminate features. He almost looked like a girl at first glance, but only if you looked for a moment. His facial structure was definitely male. They looked almost Anglo-Saxon in certain lights. His nose was longer, and a bit upturned. His eyes weren't angled like other Japanese. But his jawline was unmistakably Asian.

"Thank you…" I whispered, pulling myself closer to him. I felt safe around him. Maybe it was silly, but he had such an open view of the world around him, even in such a game like this. He took time to relax. To live. Even in a virtual hell, he didn't let it stop him from enjoying life. It was almost like he considered this world as just as real as the outside. And somehow, he'd made me the same way. I hummed contemplatively as I remembered us reading in front of the fireplace downstairs, and I realized something. At that time, I felt it. I felt what he must have. The warmth of the fire, and the chill of the tavern air. The dim lighting, but not so dark it was hard to read in. I felt the paper under my fingers as I turned each page. I felt the leather of the book he had bought for me. And most importantly, I felt _him_. The little fidgets he made to give me more comfort. The warmth of his body. The softness of his skin. I felt him. Not just some avatar in a virtual world. And I loved him for it. "For helping me feel alive…"

"Mmm, go back to sleep, Asuna…" he grumbled, shifting just a bit so my head was resting on his forearm. I opened my eyes, staring at the dark brown ones looking back at me. "It's too early to have an epiphany… Besides, we have to be ready for later…" I frowned a bit. As much as I loved him, I still barely knew a thing about him, or the cryptic words he'd speak. He tried to hide it, but I could see that he knew more than he let on. Like the phrase he just said. He knew something was coming. He always did. We'd always been ahead of the curve when it came to [Levels], but he'd insisted that we wait for the other players to get to [Tolbana] before we came ourselves. I decided not to ask right now. He was right, it was too early for this. Still… I'd have plenty of time to ask him later.

 **XXXXX**

 **[Floor One] [Tolbana, Town Theatre] [December 2** **nd** **, 2022] [2:30 PM] [DaTa]**

I grunted as I sat down on the stone stairs/bleachers of the theater. Beside me, Asuna did the same. Today she was dressed in her battle gear, rather cheap leather clothing with a primarily white, red, and yellow color scheme. I'd bought it for her earlier in the day. I knew she'd need it for the next few days. Likewise with her new armor, I'd bought her a new rapier. While I was certain she'd gain another one that was even better later on, it was good to have a backup. I looked down at the blue-haired man, Diavel. He was standing beside an orange-haired boy with an angry look on his face. Diavel was doing his best to placate the boy, but was ultimately failing. I sighed when the boy, Kibaou, sat back down in the front row.

"Now then, if I can get everyone's attention, I'd like to begin this meeting!" Diavel spoke aloud, punctuating his words with a loud clap. I glanced over at a few moving forms just now taking their seats in the theater, Kai and his [Guild]. He glanced over at me and winked. So that was how it was, hm? I already knew that Diavel was pretty much asking for a huge search party to look for the [Field Boss] that guarded the [Labyrinth] on the floor. It would take a lot of effort, but I knew that by tomorrow, it would be found. Kai, on the other hand, was using this huge event to his advantage. He was smart. As the first [Guild] to make an effort to clear the game by facing the first [Floor Boss], they would make a name for themselves, and have a high amount of power among the other players in terms of respect. Even with only seven members, they showed themselves as a highly dependable group, even more so than the [KoB] would become later on.

Asuna seemed concerned about my wide grin, nudging me with a worried expression on her face. "Are you ok?" she asked in a hushed tone. I nodded in return, noticing Kirito sitting across the way on the other side of the theater. "Are you sure? You're drifting, again." I chuckle and gave her a wink, ignoring the blush that spread across her cheeks from me doing so.

"I'm fine. Let's get ready, I want to help them find the [Boss Room]," I told her, standing. I had noticed the others beginning to form [Parties] and start to leave under Diavel's lead. Kai and the rest of his [Guild] followed soon after. So there we were, around fifty players making their way through the streets of [Tolbana]. Players and [NPC's] alike turned to watch us. Perhaps they didn't know exactly what was going on, but they knew something was happening. Kai was enjoying the attention, waving to everyone and giving others high-fives. The only other person giving the other players any attention was Asuna. While she was trying to follow Kai's lead and wave to them, it was more of a nervous action than anything else. I rolled my eyes, chuckling to myself. This would be an experience.

 **XXXXX**

 **[Floor One] [Tolbana, Boss Floor] [December 4** **th** **, 2022] [9:30 AM] [TheKaiSenpai]**

"Promise me that you'll be careful…" Ayako whispered in my shoulder as she embraced me. I smiled, ruffling her hair, to which she made a sound of annoyance. "Seriously, mister. I'm not gonna be there to save your ass, so you'd better be careful, alright? I can't have you trying to get killed just to avoid marrying me!"

"Aww, you know I'd never do that, Aya-hime," I replied, giving her a light kiss on the cheek. "I'll be fine. Besides, I have to be a leader! If I can't survive, who'll run this [Guild]?" She scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Besides you, of course." I sighed, feeling the weight pressing down on my shoulders. "I have to go. I love you, alright?" I told her, giving her a loving kiss. She returned in kind, holding me tightly against her. After a few seconds, she let me go, giving me a light glare.

"Don't you die on me, Kai-kun," she whispered. "I couldn't go on without you…" I winked, and left. Dick move? Probably. But if I didn't do something like that, we'd be there forever. Not only did I have a [Guild] to lead, but I had a responsibility to the players to get us all out of here. At least past the first floor, anyway. So out I walked, onto the busy streets. The members of the [Hopeful Foxes] had all agreed to meet at the [Raid Party] area. I shifted the heavy armor I'd gotten from a [Feral Imp Shaman] drop. It wasn't particularly rare, but would last me until the [Fifth Floor]. As I walked to the northern outskirts of [Tolbana], I checked my skills to ensure they were in order. [Heavy Metal Equipment]? Check. [One-Handed Sword]? Check. [Heavyweight Shield Equipment]? Check. I smirked, my kite-shield strapped to my arm, and longsword sheathed on my left hip. I was ready. It wasn't long until I came upon the rest of the forming [Raid Party]. So far everyone from my [Guild] was there, as well as Diavel, Kibaou, DaTa and Asuna, and some others whose, to be honest, names I'd forgotten. I grinned, waving over the six other members of the [Hopeful Foxes]. Amako, my Vice-Commander, was the first to come forward. She normally handled the actual members while I took care of the 'politics' and planning within the guild.

"Since we're the only [Party] of seven, we've been assigned point Group A, a [DPS] role. For those knew to gaming, [DPS] means [Damage Per Second]. We dish out a steady stream of damage onto the boss while other players draw attention as [Tanks], giving us the opening we need to attack." As I spoke, I met each of my [Guild] members' eyes. "Since my specific [Skill] and [Weapon Build] are more akin to that of a [Tank], Amako will be leading the [Guild] in my absence. I'll be helping support the other [Tanks], and fulfilling the role of [Raid Commander] alongside Diavel.

 **"Yes sir!"** shouted my members in reply, each with a grin. Except Amako. Amako was as bored looking as ever.

"Let's kick some tail, foxes!"

 **"ROOOOAAAAAR!"**

 **XXXXX**

 **[DaTa]**

 **"ROOOOAAAAAR!"** I glanced over and chuckled as I watched Kai get his [Guild] pumped for the fight. He was pretty much trying to get rid of all of their fear before the fight. Not a bad tactic. Asuna, however, seemed unamused.

"He's so childish…" she muttered. "How can he be that way? We're going to be facing something that will definitely kill a lot of us! He should be more worried."

"Too much stress can cause mistakes on the battle field," I explained to the girl watching beside me. "He'd getting them relaxed so their minds are clearer."

"Who's the best [Guild] in [Aincrad]!?"

 **"WE ARE!"**

"Who's gonna whip Kayaba's ass!?"

 **"WE ARE!"** I smirked, patting Asuna's back.

"Let them have their moments," I told her, facing Diavel as he walked up in front of everyone, doing a headcount to make sure everyone was present. "After all, in a game like this, one needs to learn to live. Even if only moments before death." An unnerved look crossed the girl's face as she contemplated my words. After a brief moment, Diavel clapped his hands, gathering everyone's attention.

"From here out, we march towards the [Boss Room]!" he called out, his voice managing to reach even those in the back of the group. "Kai, if you please?" There was laughter as Kai bounded in front of everyone, comically tripping and falling on his face beside Diavel, before standing up quickly as if nothing had ever happened. "Err… thank you, Kai… As the only [Guild Master] of this… [Clearing Group], we'll also be counting on your guidance. Please lead us to the [Boss Room]." I heard Kibaou snort as we began making our way to the [Labyrinth].

"What a joke," he insulted Kai. "Who thought a clown like him could actually be any good at this game? I say we just leave him behind. He'll only hold us back!" I clenched my fists, refraining from decking the fool onto the ground. "If it were me in charge, we'd already be at the [Third Floor]!" Right before I turned to send the cactus-haired dumbass flying, Asuna gripped my hand. I looked over at her, noticing the understanding look on her face. But also the stern gaze in her eyes that told me she wouldn't let me do anything I'd regret later. I sighed, letting my anger wash away. I flinched, feeling a cold, wet drop fall onto my head. Then another. And another. A flash, then the sound of thunder, echoing in our ears as the downpour of rain began. Thankfully we were under a rather thick canopy, so the rainfall was minimal, but it was still annoying to get wet. Perhaps Kayaba was setting a mood. I flinched, though, when I felt a hand rest on my shoulder. I glanced back into bright green eyes.

"DaTa, my eternal rival," spoke the young man. I grinned, reaching out my fist to the dyed crimson haired player behind me.

"MechManiC!" I exclaimed, garnering a confused look from Asuna. "Hey, it's been forever since I last saw you!" He chuckled, hoisting a spiky mace over his shoulder. He had on light armor, with only a metal chest-piece and leggings, the rest was leather.

"Yeah, yeah. Last we met, I whooped your ass to the curb!" he replied smiling widely.

"Bah, that was a friendly match and you know it," I challenged. "Seriously, good to see you. What brings you to [SAO]?"

"My brother bought it for me," he replied. "Said I needed to take a break from kicking alien ass."

"Excuse me, but who are you?" Asuna asked quietly, sticking closer to me than normal.

"Oh, right, Asuna," I chuckled. "This is MechManiC, he's a Terran player from StarCraft II." MechManiC waved to her. "And my eternal rival. He and I are always fighting over the Fourth and Third place in the Championships. It's mostly luck that we always face on another, but some people think that the games are rigged just so we can go against one another. Last I checked the score was sixty to fifty-eight in my favor."

"Oh, look who's using unofficial matches, now," the redhead replied. "Well, I better get with my [Party]. I'll see ya 'round, alright? Don't die."

"I should be telling you that, RektManiC," I yelled back as he walked further ahead of us. I smiled, feeling nostalgia wash over me. "Heh, cool guy," I told Asuna. "A bit cocky, but he's got a good head on his shoulders."

"Boy, that sounds familiar," Asuna mumbled, rolling her eyes. I simply chuckled, noticing we were upon the [Boss Door]. It was in shambles, and really looked terrible. Kai and Diavel were standing side-by-side, looking over all of us.

"Now before we start," Diavel started. "I have only one thing to say." Kai shoved him aside and raised his arms with a wide smile on his face.

"Let's kick some ass and get outta here before dinner!"

 **"YEAAAAAAAH!"**

The [Boss Room Doors] were kicked open, and all fifty players rushed in. "Honey~ I'm ho~ome!" Kai shouted. The room lit up in a myriad of colors, and right on cue, a giant red kangaroo-like creature wearing some sort of hood dropped from the ceiling. It was at least ten times as tall as me. Once it landed on the ground, making it shake, it let out an almost deafening roar. From the show, it looked scary. In person, it was _terrifying_. The massive beast was sporting a huge round shield, and a giant one-handed axe. Surrounding him were tiny kangaroo creatures dressed in full body armor. They each had a single one-handed axe. While just smaller than the average person, we all knew they wouldn't be any laughing matter. Above its head was the name [Illfang the Kobold Lord], and four [HP Bars]. "I'm sorry, baby. It's you, not me. I want a divorce, dammit!"

There was light laughter from Kai's banter, but all marks of humor quickly slipped away. Even Kai's face had become stone serious. "[Tank] [Party A], engage!" Diavel shouted.

"That's us, babies," Kai shouted to the other shield users behind him. "Lock! Engage!" As one, all of the shields locked together as a misshapen wall, with Kai's kite shield in the center. They began marching forward as a unit.

"Flankers [Party C] and [Party D], get moving!" Diavel called. I saw both the muscle bound mace user, Agil, and MechManiC charge forward with their [Parties], attacking the incoming [Kobald Sentinels] while simultaneously arcing around [Illfang]. Kai's shield wall was being battered by the [Kobold Lord's] attacks, but they were standing strong. Not one of them had fallen, or was even in the yellow with their [HP]. "[Support Parties], get rid of those [Sentinels]!" I glanced at Asuna.

"You good on your own?" I asked her. She rolled her eyes and scoffed.

"I trained with _you_ , didn't I?" she snarled. I grinned.

"Good answer." With that, my hand was on the hilt of my blade, and I rushed forward to the nearest [Kobold Sentinel]. Within a yard of it, my curved sword was out of its sheathe, streaking towards the unsuspecting kangaroo-beast. One second. That was all it took. With every use, the [EXP] of the [One-Handed Curved Sword] [Skill] would increase, and would [Level Up] with enough, capping at one-thousand. Just like every [Skill] in the game. With every fifty [Levels], it would allow you to customize the [Skill]. In the case of any weapon, more [Speed], or more [Power]. When combined with the [Battle Tempo] [Skill], which gave you [Mini-Crits] for every tenth strike, [Power] became irrelevant. With every [Upgrade], you became twice as fast or as strong as before. My [Skill] was at [Level] two-hundred and four. "Executioner's Blow!" I roared, hundreds upon hundreds of strikes appearing on the [Kobold Sentinel]. It let out a screech, as if surprised, before dying in a shower of polygons. I smiled, glancing at Asuna, who was using the [Switch and Pot] tactic with Kirito.

"You are just insufferable!" Asuna yelled, her rapier piercing the monster.

"And _you're_ a huge pain in the ass, miss 'I can do it myself'!" Kirito replied, sounding particularly young. Ah, he was fourteen. I had forgotten that. And gamers at age fourteen… Well damn.

"I was doing just fine until you butted in!"

"Oh, yeah, you were doing _amazing_ in being knocked on your ass!"

"At least I _killed_ mine before I decided to help you with yours! What do I get for helping? A little brat yelling at me for no reason!"

"Oh, _good for you_ , you killed a [Mob] with a [Sword Skill]! Just like every other player in the game can who's actually halfway decent!" I smiled, chuckling at their arguing. Yeah, he was fourteen, alright. I tensed as the next wave of [Sentinels] appeared.

" _YEAH, MOTHERFUCKER!_ " Kai shouted in English.

 **"ROOOOOOOAAAAAAAR!"** Illfang bellowed.

 **"ROOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAARRR!"** the [Hopeful Foxes] roared in reply. I watched as Illfang's heath depleted even faster than it had, before. Those guys… Kai really inspired them. I tensed, quickly drawing my blade and slicing down an incoming [Sentinel]. Shit, I needed to get my head in the game.

"Stand clear, I'll handle the rest!" Diavel shouted, rushing past the shield wall. God dammit.

"Wait, that's not a talwar, that's a nodachi!" Kirito shouted as Diavel dove into the fray. But it was too late. The sky-blue haired man was cut down and sent flying. I winced, growling. Dammit, I wasn't paying attention!

"Asuna, with me!" I called.

"Right!" I burst forward, Asuna beside me within seconds.

"You distract, I attack!" I commanded her. She nodded as I leapt forward towards the giant [Kobold]. "Kai! Command your soldiers!" I shouted towards the stunned man. His face became filled with determination.

"All troops! Attack! For Diavel!"

" **For Diavel!"**

"For Aincrad!"

" **For Aincrad!"**

"For everyone who can't fight, themselves!"

" **For everyone!"** A loud cry of war echoed through the room, making even [Illfang] pause in shock and awe.

"Executioner's Blow!" I shouted, drawing my sword not even an inch away from [Illfang]. In a flash of steel, multiple lacerations appeared on [Illfang's] body. As soon as I landed, Asuna appeared to parry the incoming blow towards me, thrusting multiple times at [Illfang].

"[Linear]!" she shouted, her blade glowing green before her final strike. [Illfang] roared with rage, raising its nodachi in order to crush Asuna. She was open after overextending the [Sword Skill].

"Kai!" I shouted frantically as [Illfang's] attack came down upon her. My eyes widened, before I heard the _Clang!_ of metal striking metal.

"Dammit… didn't you know, DaTa…?" I heard Kai grunting. "Heroes always come in at the last moment…!" Kai was singlehandedly holding back [Illfang's] blow, effectively protecting Asuna from a deadly strike.

"Hoh hah!" I heard MechManiC yell, leaping into the air before slamming his red glowing mace down on the [Kobold's] head. "Boo-yah!" Grabbing its ear, he slammed his mace once more into the [Boss's] face. "[Double Cleave!]" The beast roared with hatred, slamming its skull against MechManiC, sending him flying across the room. "Guh!"

"I got it!" I heard Kirito shout. I looked over just in time for the black haired boy to slice his way through the giant [Boss], essentially getting the [Last Hit] on it. I gave the grinning kid a deadpan look.

"Did… he just [kill steal]?" Kai asked incredulously. I nodded.

"Yup," I replied. "Kids, am I right?" I nudged the man. He chuckled and shook his head.

"Well, we beat the first floor, and that's what matters," Kai said, looking up at the massive 'banner' that said [Congratulations]. I glanced down at my [Reward] screen, noting that I'd gone up to [Level] twelve with all the [EXP] I gained.

"Why!?" Kibaou shouted at us. "Why did you let Diavel die!?"

"Let him die…?" I grumbled. I felt noticed that Kai's fists were clenching.

"You guys… you knew that the weapons would be different than the guide said, didn't you!?" Kibaou shouted. I could tell that most of the other players were starting to agree. "That's it, isn't it? You all were Beta-Testers!"

"Nope," Kai said simply. His voice was calm and relaxed, but there was a hardness in his eyes. An intense rage. "You're wrong. We had no clue that the weapon would be different, just like you all." Kai paused. "My name is TheKaiSenpai, and I _am_ a Beta-Tester." Kibaou's angry expression faltered. "Yeah. I led this entire group of misfits because I was confident I could. Because I thought I had enough knowledge about the game that I could help you all through. Obviously Kayaba changed some things since beta."

"You… You…" Kibaou was stammering. "You admit it! You let Diavel die just so you could be a hero!" Kai's eyes sharpened into a dangerous look.

"You assume correctly," Kai finally said after a long pause. His face was set in stone, but anyone who knew him well could tell that he was lying, now. "I did let him die. I wanted to be a hero. But now I see that's impossible. But while I and these others fought to keep you all safe, you stood on the sidelines. So tell me, who is the greater villain? He who fights to defend others, making sacrifices? Or he who sacrifices all, living only for himself?" He glanced at his [Guild]. "Let's go. We aren't wanted here." Silently, we all watched as Kai and the [Hopeful Foxes]. Kibaou, however, would not let Kai have the last word.

"Whatever! We don't need your help you… you traitorous Beta Tester! You… Baitor!" Kibaou shouted, but his calls went unanswered. I glanced over at Asuna, before making my way up towards the staircase. I tried to hurry, opening my [Party Menu] as I came close to the top.

"DaTa!" Asuna called behind me, right as I reached the open door. Damn! I was so close! "Hey, you took off without me. What, are you trying to avoid me?" She had a teasing tone in her voice, but I turned to her with a serious face. Her expression fell.

"I've taught you all that I can," I told her. "From now on… you're on your own."

"Wha…?"

"I'm dissolving the [Party]," I told her, hitting the [Leave Party] button on my [UI]. With a small ring, the action was done. Asuna's breathing hitched. "Go and get stronger. Make friends. Find a good [Guild]."

"Dammit, don't leave me, DaTa!" Asuna took a step forward. Tears were forming in her eyes. "You can't! You're my partner! My best friend!" I closed my eyes, gathering the determination to do what needed to be done. "I don't know what to do without you!"

"Sorry, kiddo," I mumbled, taking off into the bright new world ahead of me.

"DaTa!"

 **XXXXX**

 **[Floor Two] [Urbus, The Sitting Bull Inn] [December 10** **th** **, 2022] [6:30 AM] [Asuna]**

I woke slowly, nearly blinded by the sunlight filtering in through the blinds of my window. It had been six days since he'd left me. Since he'd broken my heart. But he'd not broken my will. No, if anything, I was going to become even stronger. I'd become the teacher. I'd be so strong, that it'd be him looking up at me. I was already [Level] thirteen! I knew I could do this without him! But still… It was kind of weird waking up, and not hearing his breathing. It was strange to be hugging a cold pillow instead of a warm body. Was this what Aya had told me about? Becoming so used to someone, you couldn't imagine them not being there? I blinked, pulling down my [Menu] and [Friends List]. I decided to send Aya a [Private Message], something I'd only recently figured out.

[Hello, Aya,] I started. [I was wondering if we could speak once more? Kai is welcome to join us, if you'd like. I haven't seen him since the Boss Room, after all. Thank you!] Send. I slowly sat up, and yawned. I let myself stretch, then once more pulled down my [Menu] and equipped my [Knight Fencer's Cloak], a white, full body leather cloak that was almost like a blazer, but with more ornate designs and no high collar. Almost immediately after, a pinging sound rang out, notifying me that Aya had [PM'd] me in return.

[Most certainly!] she had written. [I'll include Kai in our little rendezvous. He's been worried about both you and DaTa. I'm glad you're safe. If you're in Urbus, there's a little hidden restaurant near the south side of town. It's called the Nile's Blessing. It's a cute little place that Kai found a few days ago. It turns out, that there's a restaurant or inn hidden on every floor that doesn't keep Kayaba's theme. I suppose the programmers tired of the same textures and music and such for all one-hundred floors and decided to include them as a bonus. Anyway, meet us there today at 5:30 PM, we'll have dinner. Be safe.] I smiled. Aya was such a caring woman. She was good for Kai.

After confirming the time of my meeting, I'd headed downstairs to the tavern portion of the inn. It was nowhere near as… decent as the ones DaTa had taken me to. In fact, it seemed just a little bit run down. I wondered where he was staying… I briefly considered snooping. But no! I would make it without him, dammit! I would not be weak! I could make it on my own! After downing a glass of orange juice and slamming the glass back onto the table, I left the tavern. I was hoping to find some materials to give to Aya. After all, she was a friend, and friends helped friends, right?

I was so lost in thought, that I didn't notice myself run right into someone else. "Oof!"

"Kya!" Both of us fell back on our rears, knocking the breath out of me.

"Dammit, watch where you're going!" I scolded, looking at who I'd run in to. It was a rather creamy skinned girl who was just shorter than me. Her hair was a deep black, but with hints of blue highlights in them. Her eyes were a slight purplish color, and she had a small beauty mark under her left eye. She had a timid expression as she looked away from me. I instantly felt bad.

"A-Ano… sorry," she stammered. I sighed, standing up and brushing the dust off of me. I offered her my hand.

"It's fine, just be careful, ok?" I told her. She nodded slowly, taking my hand. "Are you lost?" I asked, seeing her looking around.

"Ah… no. I'm just looking f-for my friends…" she was able to look me in the eyes as she spoke, but never for more than a few seconds. I nodded, patting her shoulder.

"Well, good luck," I told her, before walking off. For some reason, I could feel her eyes watching me as I walked away.

 **XXXXX**

 **[The Nile's Blessing] [5:30 PM]**

I sat in slight disgust and fascination at the scene before me. I knew that Kai loved food, but this was taking it far beyond what I'd ever expected! He was digging into his fourth dish, a fish called tilapia that had fancy garnish and such. And all the other dishes had been fairly large! Yet, across from me, Ayako seemed to have no issue with the insatiable black hole of a man sitting beside her. She had a sweet smile on her face, and her hands were clasped together. Was this normal!?

"We joke that he loves food more than he loves me," Aya simply said after a moment of silence.

"And it's completely true!" Kai added after swallowing a mouthful of fish. Aya slammed her fist into his face, effectively silencing him.

"True or not, he eats," Aya stated. Her gaze softened as she looked towards me. "He's also worried. DaTa deleted both of us from his [Friends List], so we have no clue as to his location. It's been several days since anyone's seen him. It's a stretch, but do you have any clue as to where he could be?" I sighed, shaking my head.

"Sorry," I apologized. "He deleted me, too. I haven't heard anything, either."

"Poor girl…" Aya cooed. "So in love, yet-" Aya was interrupted by Kai slamming his fist on the table. The woman shot him a glare.

"In love, huh?" Kai asked, suddenly serious. I hated that. I hated how he could be so goofy, yet be so serious at the drop of a pin! It was unnerving! "No, you aren't in love. You've just got a crush on him."

"Kai…" Aya spoke in a low warning tone. He held up his hand.

"Tell ya what, kid," Kai leaned forward over the table. "I'll tell you exactly what you are. You've got hero worship for him. He brought you out of a potentially dark time and now you've suddenly got the hots for him? Yeah, not fuckin' likely." Kai resumed eating, ignoring the indignant look his fiancé was sending him. "Give it time. DaTa doesn't need some wimpy girl holding him back." He paused from eating, sending me a look that sent shivers down my spine. It was intense, yet slightly hopeful. And yet even more frightening for some reason. "If you so much as hurt him even slightly, no [Safe Zone] in this game will protect you from what I'll do."

"Kai, that's enough!" Aya's voice rings out throughout the restaurant, stopping all conversation. After an awkward moment, the other patrons resume their meals, but in much more hushed tones. "I know you have trouble with women, but don't you _dare_ drag Asuna into your paranoia." Kai sighed, closing his eyes as he crossed his arms.

"Sorry," he mumbled. "He's… just like a little bro to me." Kai took a deep breath, then slowly let it out. He opened his eyes and looked at me. What I saw was not a man, or a goofball. Who I saw right then was the Commander of the [Hopeful Foxes]. "Go and find him, and keep him safe." He paused and winked, the visage of the Commander fading. "And be gentle with him. I bet he'll rock your world some night!" I felt my cheeks heat up.

"Sh-Shut up!" was my brilliant retort.


	3. Chapter 3: Reconciliation

TheKaiSenpai doesn't own SAO or anything else used here, and this is just something he does when he's bored.

 **XXXXX**

 **Chapter 3: Reconciliation**

 **[[Floor Two] [Wastelands, Far West of Urbus] [December 12** **th** **, 2022] [2:47 PM] [Asuna]**

"Gurr…. Huff!" I grunted, pulling myself up onto a large boulder. It was one of the few in this expanse of grey, craggy nothingness. Still, this was where my [Quest], [The Ruined Temple], was. Plus, it was one of the few places where the [Hopeful Foxes] and I hadn't yet looked in our search for DaTa. It wasn't really intentional, but with the whole mess of getting my [Wind Fleuret +4] stolen, and Kai's argument with Aya, we really didn't have the drive to search this far out. Still, now was my chance. Kai and Aya would have come with me, but for some reason they decided to take a bit longer to make up.

In the distance, I could see what looked like the top of a large building that had been carved out in the stone walls at the edge of the [Wastelands]. The location of my [Quest]. From what I'd learned from Kai, the temple had existed since the beta, and I should expect quite a few undead creatures inside. At the end would be a particularly valuable treasure, guarded by a [Field Boss]. I was excited. This was the first time I'd ever solo a [Boss] of any sort. But naturally, I was also frightened. If I failed, or wasn't strong enough… I would die. There were no other options. I would triumph, or die. I smiled bitterly at the thought. That was something that DaTa would have told me when we were training. Then afterwards he would hug me and tell me that I was never in any real danger; that he would have jumped in if I was even close to any trouble.

It wasn't long until I entered the musky, dark cave temple. Shifting through my [Inventory], I brought out a torch to carry in my left hand, my [Wind Fleuret +4] in my right. Swinging my torch around to get a better view of my surroundings, I found myself surrounded my dusty suits of armor, faded paintings on the walls, and unlit torch sconces. Cautiously, I dipped my own torch into one of the sconces, lighting it. A smile graced my lips as I continued to repeat the action for every sconce I passed, lighting up the room as I went along. After lighting the fifth torch, I could see three large doorways at the end of the room. They looked identical, but from what Kai had told me, two of them were trapped ends that led into [Monster Rooms]. He hadn't told me what door was the safe one, though. Apparently, it changed every time a player came through. Still, there had to be a pattern. Kai had said he guessed at random during the beta, and had gotten lucky, so he was of no help in this situation. Instead, I thought of DaTa's lessons.

 _"Everything in this game is fair,"_ he had told me one night. _"From the [Dungeons], to the [Bosses], to the layout of every [Floor]. Everything can be cleared without a single death. The challenge is, knowing what to look for, and having the reaction speed to cover your mistakes."_ Everything was fair. That meant that there must be a clue to which door was safe. I kept this in mind as I approached them, trying to find any differences. It had taken me several minutes, but I noticed a faint breeze running through the door on the right that was absent in the other two. Taking a chance, I walked down that hall. Like the walls of the main room, it was covered in intricate drawings that probably expanded the lore of the temple, but that wasn't what I was interested in. What _was_ interesting was that I could hear the sounds of battle coming from further down. I assumed I was beyond the realm of traps, so I allowed myself to [Sprint] down the hall, coming upon and already lit room. In the center, surrounded by [Disturbed Ghouls], was a figure dressed in black robes, moving swiftly from [Ghoul] to [Ghoul]. I was in awe, the figure's cloak flowing behind them as they flipped, twisted, and twirled in what seemed like a hurricane of death. A flash of metal revealed her weapon, a dagger of some sort. I flinched when I saw a flash move from the figure to a [Ghoul] on the opposite side of the room. Throwing knives as well!? In a mere minute, fourteen [Disturbed Ghouls] had been killed. The figure stood among the 'remains' of their enemy, as if contemplating something. From their heaving chest, though, I could tell they were simply catching their second wind. I approached slowly.

"That was incredible," I muttered just loud enough for them to hear, hoping not to startle them. As I got closer, I saw their name above their head. Noire.

"You're here for the [Quest]?" the figure asked, their voice obviously female, but it held a dark and mysterious vibe to it. She looked at me, revealing a lightly tanned face, upturned nose, and bright yellowish eyes. On her cheeks were two lines of purple paint, like whiskers. The girl reached up and pulled down her hood, revealing black, wavy hair that reached down her back.

"Yeah," I replied. "I've also come looking for a friend." I decided to change the subject when her face remained impassive. "Are you completing the [The Ruined Temple] [Quest] as well?"

"Yeah," she replied, pulling down her [Menu]. Seconds later, a [Party Invite] appeared in front of me. "It'll be easier for us to go together. Outright fighting isn't my specialty." I gave her an incredulous look, making her flush and look away from me. "That was luck, that you saw."

"Sure it was," I sighed, pressing [Accept]. I blinked when I saw her [Level]. She was three [Levels] ahead of me! "You sure train really hard," I mentioned, following her as we made our way further into the temple.

"I've spent four days in here," she replied calmly. I looked at her back with awe. "All for this single [Quest]. The [Boss] is hard enough, but he summons [Mobs] that attack from all angles. Trying to solo the [Boss Room] is impossible." I nodded, understanding. It would be like trying to take on [Illfang the Kobold Lord] single handedly. The [Boss] itself wouldn't be much of a problem to an experienced player, but trying to fend off its minions alongside it would cause issues.

"Still, you're really strong," I complimented her. She scoffed.

"You aren't too bad yourself, princess," she replied. "Most players are only now reaching [Level] eleven. You've set yourself ahead."

"I had a good teacher," I whispered. Soon enough we came upon another room, torches already lit. "Has someone already been through here?"

"I was," Noire replied. "I've simply been fighting the [Mobs] that [Spawn], waiting for someone else to appear to complete this [Quest]." I nodded once more in understanding, watching as [Disturbed Zombies] began pushing themselves off of the walls, glaring at us with glowing red eyes. They looked just like withered players, only covered in linens and not armor. "They look like players, because they were," Noire told me, letting me take the lead. "The game is cruel, perverting the identities of those already dead into its own [Mobs] that we must slay." I could hear the scowl on her face, her voice quivering with rage and hatred. "Kayaba's a sick fucking bastard." I could feel my own anger growing. To spit on the memories and lives of your own victims! It was atrocious! I readied my weapon, intent on sending these abominations back into the code.

 _"Never let your anger overtake you,"_ Kai's voice echoed in my head, making me pause. _"Rage can be a strength that drives you, but never let it blind you to your surroundings, or you're already dead."_ I took a deep breath, and let it out, before lunging forward at the first [Zombie].

"[Linear]!" I cried, piercing through the first [Disturbed Zombie]. I grunted as the first [Mob] broke into polygons, already setting my sights on the next. "[Shooting Star]!" I flashed towards the next [Zombie], impaling its chest. "[Linear]!" With another powerful strike, the second enemy was felled.

"Avenge…" was moaned from my right. My eyes widened as, from my flank, a single [Disturbed Zombie] swiped at me, taking a chunk of my [HP].

"D-Dammit!" I grunted, backing away swiftly. In an instant, a knife sprouted from its skull, and it wavered before they both exploded into polygons. I looked in the direction it came from, a whirlwind of darkness leaping from pillar to pillar, letting loose a flurry of throwing knives upon the [Mobs] below. I grinned, now confident that we could work together. With a twirl, I slashed at the beasts behind me, memorizing their faces. The faces of those who had already fallen. I froze, seeing one in particular. The face of Diavel. Tears formed in my eyes as I impaled its skull, removing the bastardized memory of the man from [Aincrad]. It wasn't long until we were finished. Room after room we came upon, and wave after wave of enemies we fought. I found myself [Levelling Up] twice, and Noire ascended to [Level] seventeen. As we walked down the final corridor, I asked the question that had been on my mind since I'd met the mysterious girl, who happened to be my age.

"Why didn't you fight the [First Floor Boss]?" I asked her. I was unanswered for a few moments, before Noire spoke up.

"Honestly? I didn't want to," she admitted. "People and I… don't really get along."

"Really? You and I seem to be fine," I informed her. "We're a pretty good team, actually. And you're not particularly annoying to talk to."

"People annoy me, is the problem," she replied. "They're idiots. Fools. Males ogle me and try to flirt with me, and females just irritate me. They're so focused on their looks and social standing, that they lose sight of what's important in life." I let her take a few deep breaths, wanting her to keep talking, but she didn't. We came upon a large door. It was open, and someone was inside. Noire seemed just as surprised as me. Nobody had passed by us, so how was that person already here? We entered the room, approaching the person who was sitting right in the center. He looked back at us, and I gasped. That jet black hair. Those warm, yet dark brown eyes. It was him.

"Dammit," he grumbled. "Thought I'd lose you for a little longer."

"DaTa!" I called out, running towards him. His expression morphed into stern seriousness.

"Stay back!" he yelled, before the floor shook. "Dammit, woman! You've [Spawned] it before I was ready!" The floor shook once more, and Noire ran up beside me. DaTa backed up, standing right in front of us with his right hand gripping the hilt of his blade, hidden in a bright white sheath that I didn't recognize.

"Thieves! Scum! Grave robbers!" a loud voice hissed from in front of us. The entire room became lit with torches, revealing that we were in a rectangular shrine of some sort. In the very front of the room was a large coffin, of which exploded. From the dust appeared a massive ghostly figure, dressed in the robes of a Catholic priest. It floated without legs above the ground, towering above us just as tall as [Illfang] had. It did have skeletal hands, and a bare skull for its head, with glowing blue eyes in its hollow, dark sockets. Its gaze seemed to make the room temperature drop to freezing levels. Above its head hung the name [Cardin the Fallen Priest], and three [Health Bars] floated beside it. "Die by my hand, and become one with my legion!" The many coffins at the edges of the shrine broke open, and multitudes of [Fallen Possessed] appeared from them. They were all [Level] sixteen, and were armed with swords and shields.

"Dammit, I can't rush him yet," DaTa growled in front of us. He looked back at Noire and I as the legion of undead shambled towards us. "You two, take out [Cardin]. Regular attacks don't work on him; you have to strike with [Sword Skills]. I'll keep the [Fallen Possessed] off your asses. Got it? Go!" Without even listening to my protests, DaTa disappeared. At the same moment, four of the [Fallen Possessed] exploded and died, only to be replaced by four more.

"I'll distract him," Noire told me, glaring at the [Field Boss]. "I can't do much damage with my dagger, but you're good with your rapier. I'll draw his attention so you can strike him down." I nodded. Now was not the time to worry about DaTa, or why he was here. I needed to survive, first! Taking my nod as a cue, Noire ran towards the specter, her dagger glowing a sickly purple before slicing up the [Boss's] face.

"You fool!" it bellowed, and I sprang into action.

"[Shooting Star]!" I yelled, lunging towards [Cardin's] face as it tried to swipe at Noire. My mark hit, and I managed to impale it through its eye socket. I smiled, using the giant ghost's face as a springboard to avoid the hand trying to grab me. I flipped in midair, landing on my feet as I hit the ground. I immediately dashed forward towards it again as it turned its attention on me.

"[Fury Swipes]!" Noire called, leaping at [Cardin's] back and rapidly slicing at it. Four strikes hit, making it screech in pain and anger. I could feel the hatred rolling off of the [Fallen Priest], even if it was digital.

"Keep it up you two!" DaTa shouted from further back. "It's on its second [Health Bar]! Its eyes are the weak poi- kuh!"

"DaTa!" I cried, looking back to see that DaTa had fallen to his knees, struck by a powerful blow from a [Fallen Possessed]. "Hold on, I'll help you!"

"AHHH!" Noire screamed. I turned and saw that she was being gripped by [Cardin the Fallen Priest], and was being crushed. I could see her [HP] being rapidly whittled away on my [HUD]. I panicked, glancing between DaTa as he was surrounded by [Fallen Possessed] and Noire who was being crushed. I cried, running towards Noire.

"I'm sorry!" I screamed, lunging at [Cardin's] face. I grabbed it by its right eye socket and repeatedly stabbed into its left eye. "[Linear]! [Linear]! [Linear]! [Linear]!" I screamed each attack, jabbing the ghastly [Boss] over and over, hoping that if I killed it fast enough, I could save both of them. [Cardin] screamed in agony, flailing around before letting Noire go, throwing her across the room. I heard a cracking sound as she hit something, but I continued stabbing the [Boss]. After a long, agonizing wail, I felt the ghost become ethereal in my hands, and I fell to the ground as it died. I gasped, sobbing as I quickly stood, looking for Noire and DaTa. I found DaTa laying on the ground, pulling a [Health Crystal] from his [Inventory]. His [HP] was below ten. I then moved to the black figure that was Noire, whose [Health] was still falling. She had a [Cursed Status], and quickly went through my own [Inventory] and grabbed a [Full Health Crystal], the only one I had. I crushed it in my grip and pressed it against her.

"Heal!" I exclaimed, my heartbeat barely slowing as I watched the [Cursed Status] disappear, and her [Health] refilled completely.

"Thanks- ah?" I didn't even wait, holding her close to me in a hug. It was terrible watching Diavel die. It plagued me for days. But I barely knew him. Noire. I knew Noire. She was my friend, and to watch her almost die was horrifying. I didn't know her very well, but I felt a connection to her. "You… can let me go now," she said after a few seconds. Slowly, I let myself pull away. She wouldn't look me in the eyes.

"Sorry," I mumbled. "I just…"

"Yeah, I get it," she said slowly, finally looking back up at me. "I… know we just met, but…" I could see her blushing. "Well…maybe I should just show you." Before I could react, she lurched forward. My eyes widened in surprise before I realized what was happening. Her lips had suddenly become connected to mine! It… didn't feel bad, but I pushed her away, giving her an apologetic look.

"I'm sorry…" I whispered, watching her face morph from bliss into fear. "N-No! It isn't you! It's not you at all," I tried to reassure her.

"I'm such an idiot!" she cried, slamming her head back onto the pillar behind her.

"No, you aren't!" I protested. "I mean, I'm really flattered. Really, I am," I told her, gripping her shoulders firmly. My stern look relaxed a bit. "But… I'm interested in someone else… But I'm sure you'll find someone special who can be there for you, ok? So don't give up!" I leaned forward and gave her a light kiss on the cheek. I stood, pulling down my [Menu], and sent her a [Friend Request]. "I'd really like to be friends with you, though. Maybe sometime when you find someone special, you can introduce me to them?" She nodded slowly, [Accepting] my [Friend Request].

"I'd like that," she finally sighed in a low tone. I frowned, turning towards the young man now starting to stand up.

"Speaking of my other interest…" I grumbled only loud enough for her to hear. "You idiot! Where the hell have you been!?" I shouted at the guy, grabbing him before he could escape me. "Kai and Aya and I have been so worried! Did you think you could just disappear for over a week and not expect us to go looking for you!?" He didn't even look at me. I took that moment to look him over, and noticed his [Level]. He was [Level] eighteen. Was he [Grinding] this [Boss] the entire time he was gone? Finally, he spoke.

"You've gotten stronger," were his first words to me. "But not strong enough." I was shocked. After all we'd been through, that was all he could say to me!? He finally turned around, and the loving, kind, and joyful boy I'd once known was gone. Instead, I saw a dark, serious, and cold… thing. "You either become stronger, or I'll kill you."

 _SLAP!_ Tears flooded my eyes. A stinging red mark the shape of a hand appeared on my cheek, and I realized that I'd slapped him. I hit the boy I loved in… was it anger? Yes. I hit him because I was angry. No, not angry. I was _furious_!

"How _dare_ you!?" I screamed in his face. "Since when were you such an asshole!?" I could see the hurt forming on his face, but I wasn't finished. "I've been looking for you for days and _that's_ what you say to me!? God, you're suck a jerk!" I felt my own body shaking, and I was breathing heavily. I finally noticed the sad expression he held, tears forming in his own eyes. I sighed, crossing my arms. "You didn't mean it…" I deduced aloud.

"Of course I didn't," he tried to speak with a strong voice, but even I could tell it was quivering. "I… I just…"

 **XXXXX**

 **[DaTa]**

"You idiot! Where the hell have you been!?" Asuna's voice rang throughout the [Boos Room], making my heart pound. Whether I wanted her to be stronger or not, I couldn't deny that I had missed her. I missed her smile, her laugh, and I missed waking up beside her every morning. Instead, I'd isolated myself here, right behind the [Boss Room], training off of it every day, every waking moment. I liked her before I left her, but now I knew that I loved her. I couldn't deny the welling up in my chest, the emotions that were building. Protectiveness. Joy. Fear. Sadness. Excitement. Comfort. "Kai and Aya and I have been so worried! Did you think you could just disappear for over a week and not expect us to go looking for you!?" I couldn't look at her, I was ashamed. It was one thing to cut her off, but I shouldn't have done the same to Kai and Aya. I closed my eyes, trying to figure out what to do. I wanted desperately to turn around and embrace her. To tell her I'd never leave again. That I hadn't broken my promise to her. But that would hinder her. She had to become strong, for her own sake.

"You've gotten stronger…" I mumbled, trying to build up the strength to speak the words I had to. "But, not strong enough." I hitched at the last portion of my sentence, but I don't think she noticed. I took a deep breath, turning towards her. I was heartbroken as I finally saw her shattered face. Her eyes, which had once held so much determination and vigor before the [Boss Fight], finally broken. I considered going back. Telling her how much I cared for her. But the words came out without me even thinking. "You either become stronger, or I'll kill you."

 _SLAP!_ I winced, feeling the burning sensation on my left cheek. Asuna's hand was raised in front of her, tears spilling down her cheeks. She had… just hit me. No… I'd taken this too far. I'd made the same mistake I'd made in all of my past lives. I'd separated myself from the people who cared about me, trying to manipulate them to make them stronger. I was, again, ashamed.

"How _dare_ you!?" she screamed, breaking down all of my walls. Every sense of what I had planned was gone. I'd hurt her, and I felt terrible. "Since when were you such an asshole!?" I flinched, feeling myself cower a bit. I hated being yelled at, especially by people I loved. But I knew I deserved this. "I've been looking for you for days and that's what you say to me!? God, you're suck a jerk!" I simply stood silently, letting myself wallow in her words. I was scum. Finally, she stopped, and caught her breath. I felt like an idiot. Tears were streaming down my face, now, matching hers. Finally, she gave me an unreadable expression. "You didn't mean it…" I shook my head.

"Of course I didn't…" I admitted, trying to think of the words I wanted to say. "I… I just…" I sighed. "I wanted you to get stronger… less dependent on me." I looked her in the eyes. "Don't get me wrong, I loved every moment with you, but… I wanted you to be confident on your own two feet, ya know?"

"You idiot…" Asuna whispered, lurching forward and wrapping her arms around me. She rested her chin on my shoulder, pressing her head against mine. "You're such a dumbass… God, you're stupid…" I chuckled mirthlessly as she insulted me, but there was no bite behind her words.

"Yeah…" I sighed, wrapping my arms around her as well. "Well… I guess I'm stuck with you now, huh…?"

"You bet your ass, dumbass," she replied instantly. "There's no way in hell I'm letting you get away again."

"As sweet as this is," the girl from before spoke up, walking towards us. Her gaze was on me, and her expression was… complex. "We should keep going. I want to finish this [Quest]." I nodded, letting Asuna go. She held me for another few seconds, but finally did the same. I led them to a small door to the left of the main shrine, leading them into a medium sized back room. In the back was a table with a plethora of weaponry. Most of them were a ghostly white color, there were a few with a midnight black scheme. Beside the table was a single large chest.

I chuckled as a screen popped up in front of Asuna and the new girl, marking their quest as complete. After a second, Asuna pulled down her [Menu] and equipped the new weapon she'd gotten as a reward. It was a bone white rapier with skeletal fingers for a guard, and a single thick bone for a handle that was wrapped in linen fabric. I smile, touching my own weapon; a ghostly white curved blade with the same design, called [Holy Ghost Curved Blade]. It had the stats to get me through to [Floor Ten] if I kept it [Upgraded] and [Enchanted]. I also noticed that she was [Level] sixteen, which was very good. I motioned them towards the chest.

"Go ahead. It's the standard [End-Of-The-Dungeon] reward for anyone who hadn't picked up the [Quest]," I told them. Both Asuna and the girl, Noire as her name finally appeared to me, opened the chest together. A [Loot] screen appeared before both of them.

"Wha-, that's a [Mega Col]!" Asuna announced with shock. A [Mega Col] was the value of one million [Col]. It was enough to buy a decently furnished house in Urbus. "And you've been [Farming] this thing for how long!?" I sent her a cheeky grin and winked.

"Long enough," I told her, opening my [Inventory] and showing her the amount I'd racked up. Her face went red with awe.

"T-Two hundred and six [Mega Col]!?" she exclaimed.

"What!?" Noire shouted, standing beside Asuna to get a look at my [Col]. "That's insane!" I chuckled and knocked on the wall behind me, a passage opening.

"Going up," I said. Noire sent first, but Asuna crossed her arms and stared at me.

"Nuh uh, I'm not going back without you," she spoke firmly. I groaned, packing up my belongings from the room and I went up the staircase in front of her. It was a long way up, taking a half hour to reach the surface. As we emerged from the cave wall, we were faced with a small cliff, the [Savannah Plains] visible in the distance, as well as [Urbus] even further. It was dark outside, so we could see the lights of the city.

I blinked, feeling Asuna's hand interlocking with mine. I sighed, glancing over at her blushing face. She refused to look over at me. "Let's get going, then," I said, picking up Asuna and leaping off the cliff. She squeaked in surprise, but didn't resist or struggle. I smile as we touched down, Noire landing beside us. We began walking back to town. I looked on my [HUD], and saw that it was half past midnight.

"Asuna," Noire spoke up after a half hour of walking. "Why don't you scout ahead?" Asuna shot the girl a confused look.

"Huh? Why? We're safer-"

"Scout ahead, Asuna," she spoke firmly. Asuna's eyes widened in understanding, and she increased her pace to lead in front of us, just within shouting distance. I looked over at Noire, who was staring at me. "You're really lucky, you know," she told me. I nodded. "Do you even know why?" Her piercing yellow eyes glared at me. I motioned my head towards our favorite auburn-haired girl.

"Yeah, I know," I responded calmly. "I also saw what you two did. I'm… actually sorry to hear you were rejected like that. I hope you find happiness, though." Her face softened as I spoke.

"You know, I thought you were a dick when we saw you," she told me, making me laugh. "I'm serious. You were demanding, and yet for some reason I could see the admiration she had for you. I just didn't get it." She frowned, pausing. "I guess you're ok. You're kind of an asshole when you want to be, but you're ok."

"Glad I got your approval," I told her with a smile on my face. "Yeah, she's pretty incredible. Strong, and confident. I can't wait to see her succeed." I glanced at Noire, noticing the icon beside her name. "A [Guild]?" Noire flushed.

"It's a small one I made. We're called the [Shadow Clan]," she informed me. "It's just me and a few friends right now. They were busy in town, and didn't want to take the same [Quest] that I did."

"I see," I patted her back. "Well, good luck. I wish you well." She smiled a little bit.

"Yeah, you too, you dirty 'Toss player," I groaned, slouching. She knew what I was. "Don't worry, I just figured it out. It's a bit hard to see your face in the dark, but I pieced it together." I rolled my eyes, hearing her laugh a little bit as I let myself catch up with Asuna. It was a long, moonlit stroll through the [Savannah].

 **XXXXX**

 **[Floor Two] [Urbus, The Grazing Stallion Inn] [December 13** **th** **, 2022] [9:45 AM] [DaTa]**

I yawned, shifting in bed. Immediately, I tried to remember what I'd done. I'd defeated the [Ancient Temple] [Boss] several times. I was found by Asuna and Noire, and made up with Asuna. Then we'd come back to [Urbus]. Then… Asuna and I had gone to an inn of my choosing and had gone to sleep. We shared a bed, obviously. So what felt different? Oh, I was only in my pants. Yeah, that could be it. I blinked, using my left arm to rub the sleep from my eyes. I turned to face my right, and felt the blood rushing to my face. Asuna was still asleep, but the covers had shifted over the night. We, however, hadn't. Asuna was quite obviously in her underwear. I finally remembered what we did before we went to sleep. I laid in bed, and Asuna had pounced on top of me, stealing my lips for her own. After being lip locked for a while, she'd taken off everything, and forced me to do the same. The [Ethics Filter] had stayed active, but damn if we weren't edging close to the line.

Asuna yawned and drew me from my thoughts, blinking as she looked over at me. My arm had been wrapped around her, and her head was resting on my shoulder. "Good morning…" she whispered, shifting herself in bed and wrapping her arms around me. Her face nuzzled into the crook of my neck, and she inhaled deeply. I chuckled, now realizing that she really was stuck with me. Whether she really loved me or not, I wasn't certain, but I was going to let her figure it out. But I wouldn't make her find out on her own, I'd be right beside her all the way. "I just want to stay here…" she mumbled, making me smile.

"We could do that," I said, "or we could go out and enjoy our day." Asuna thought for a moment before pulling back, looking at me once more.

"Like a couple?" she asked. I frowned a little bit.

"You seem really insistent on this," I noticed aloud. She blushed looking away for a moment.

"You… I know…" she sighed. "It's… I just feel drawn to you. I don't know… You're kind, strong, and you don't expect me to do things that I can't yet. You're very understanding." Asuna paused. "Aya told me that Kai snared her when they first met. Like… she felt so welcome around him, she could be herself. She described it as feeling free. I kind of feel the same around you. I'm Asuna, and I don't have to be anyone else." I smiled, pausing for a split second before leaning forward, kissing the girl on her forehead. Asuna's face lit up with a light blush, and I immediately rolled out of bed, standing up and stretching. I could feel her eyes running over my body as I equipped my normal battle clothing. I stretched once more, adjusting to the new weight on my shoulders. When I looked over at her, Asuna was standing up beside the bed, only in her underwear as she went through her [Inventory] for her own clothing. Suffice it to say, I enjoyed the view.

"Pervert," Asuna muttered with a smile, equipping her clothes. I shrugged, chuckling when I pat her head a few times. She reached over and took my hand in hers as we left our room.

It was a fairly calm day outside. The air was brisk, which was probably attributed to the winter season. There were a few clouds in the sky, but nothing that would suggest rain. I instead took interest in the architecture around us as Asuna led me through the bustling streets. The buildings were mostly made with clay and silt, reflecting what one would see in the poorer districts of Egypt and Jordan. The buildings were never more than three stories tall, either, and stood in a row, all part of one base structure. The streets were mostly made of what seemed to be limestone, chiseled into rectangles and held together with dried mud and straw. Wood was a rarity to see, and was normally reserved for restaurants and stores. The crowd of players intermingled with [NPCs], making the town seem bustling and inhabited.

"I was thinking of visiting the bookstore," Asuna announced, pulling me into the [Town Square]. As always, there was a fountain in the center with benches surrounding it, and several tables for recruiters from various [Guilds] looking for new members. Several stores lined the outside of the [Square], including a bookstore called [Winston's Written Works]. Asuna had stopped, giving me a questioning look as if to ask for my opinion.

"Sounds good," I replied simply, enjoying the smile that spread on her face afterwards. The day went by too quickly, but I enjoyed sitting back in the bookstore, reading with my… girlfriend, I think she was, now. We'd found a nice little corner in the back of the store, where Asuna had pretty much shoved me on a small, cushioned chair, and sat on my leg as we read. We stayed there for a good four hours before Asuna's stomach started growling. She jumped, blushing as she looked back at me.

"Sh-Shut up!" she growled at my barely contained laughter. "It's not like I had the [Col] to eat out every day! I've been having to buy my own ingredients and make my own food!"

"That's what I've been doing," I replied. Her face flushed even further.

"Jerk!" her fist slammed onto the top of my head. I chuckled in response, rolling my eyes. "Buy me dinner!"

"What!? But you have [Col] too, you know!" She glared at me.

"You always bought me dinner, before," she spoke with a frown forming on her face. I raised my hands in defeat.

"Alright, alright, sheesh," I said, exasperated. "Fine, I'll buy you dinner. I've got [Col] to spare, anyway." I stood slowly, letting Asuna onto her feet first. We left the bookstore without buying a thing, much to the chagrin of the [NPC] owner. A few blocks away was a decent restaurant. It wasn't particularly fancy, probably a three-star place at best. Still, though, the menu looked enticing.

"You just wanted ramen, didn't you…" Asuna spoke dismissively.

"Shut up, I haven't had it for over a week!" I shouted in reply, defiantly kicking the door open much like Kai would have. Oddly enough, nobody even gave us a second look as we entered. Asuna sighed. I could tell she was a little annoyed to have been brought to a ramen restaurant, but she didn't seem to mind all that much. Perhaps she was just happy to be with me, still.

We were seated at a table right beside the window, able to watch people walk past us. For a while we waited after ordering food, staring out the window. I knew Asuna was staring at me, but I wasn't really looking her in the eyes. I could tell from her disappointed face on what she wanted to talk about. "You aren't going to leave again, are you?" she asked slowly. My mind was racing. To be honest, I wanted to stay. I wanted to be with her, in comfort, forever. But in the back of my mind, I still knew it was a bad idea. "DaTa…" she growled. I knew she was glaring at me.

"I have to," I told her finally. "But I'll tell you what." I brought down my [Menu] and sent her a [Friend Request]. "I'll keep in touch, alright? I won't do what I did before. But I need you to stop relying on me so much, ok?"

"I love you!" Asuna protested. "Even if we separated, it wouldn't change that! So why can't we be happy like this!?" I frowned, finally gathering the courage to look back at her.

"It won't be forever, I promise you that," I assured her. "Someday, when we're further into the game, we can be together like this again. But right now…" I paused, searching for words that would keep her from getting upset while still explaining my reason. "People are relying on people like us to complete this game. We're already set back on time, so we need to focus on that for now." She didn't look happy, but I could see some understanding on her face. "Believe me, I'd love to stay with you. But for now, let's focus on getting out of here, ok? We can be an official couple when things start settling down."

"Do you promise?" Asuna stated. Her gaze was shifty, like she was unsure about my proposal, but was considering it. "Do you promise that you'll come back to me?"

"I promise it, Asuna," I swore to her. Her expression relaxed a little bit.

"You're staying with me, one more night," she told me. "Then you can go. But I want to spend tonight with you again." I chuckled, giving the girl a light smile.

"You got it," I agreed. Soon, dinner came and went. That night we slept as we had the night before, with lots of insistent kissing from Asuna. She had tried to go a step further, but backed out at the last second. I was fine with that. We weren't ready for it, anyway. The night was peaceful. Asuna didn't seem to have any nightmares. Before the break of dawn, the next morning, I was gone once more. I didn't have the heart to make her go through a long, painful goodbye. It would be a long time since we'd talk face to face again.

 **XXXXX**

 **[Floor Twenty-Five] [Dergun, The Healthy Flower Inn] [February 14** **th** **, 2023] [2:16 PM] [Asuna]**

I sighed, leaning back in my chair as I watched some guy who I wasn't really interested in eat across from me. It was only on my fourth day in the [Knights of the Blood Oath] as Vice Commander that this guy had asked me on a date for Valentine's Day. Naturally, I'd refused. My heart belonged to DaTa, after all. But, after many angry [PM's] and a few choice words, DaTa had told me to give the guy a chance, claiming that "separation makes the heart grow fonder". While we both knew it was bullshit, I accepted the proposal, if only to prove to myself that this was pointless. The boy across from me didn't seem to mind, though. He was ecstatic to land a date with me after being turned down so many times. I kind of pitied him. He wasn't particularly bad looking, either. He dressed up appropriately. He had good manners for a gamer. He even made no move to place me in an uncomfortable position. But he wasn't DaTa, and that was what bothered me.

"Are you feeling alright, Asuna-san?" he asked slowly, pausing from his meal. I had been eating slowly as to not seem rude. He was paying, after all. "Ah, do you not like your food? I can order something else, if you like?" I gave him a soft smile, showing my appreciation for his concern, but shook my head.

"No, thank you," I spoke softly, resuming eating. "I'm fine. I'm just thinking, is all." Yes, my mind was on a lot of things. As Vice-Commander, I was expected to help with dealings with other [Guilds], and that included the new [Howling Samurai] [Guild] that had appeared out of the blue. I knew DaTa was the [Guild Master] of it, but he had yet to appear to any of the monthly [Guild] meetings that had been set up by Heathcliff, my own [GM]. Instead, he'd sent his own Vice-Commander, an action that I could tell was starting to grate on Heathcliff's nerves.

"Thanks for coming out with me," the boy chuckled as he spoke. "Nobody else would accept my offers."

"You were asking the wrong girls," I replied. "Most of them already had a significant other." The boy paused nervously. "You have a question?"

"Well… I had heard that you and the 'Blademaster' were dating," he said slowly. "Ah, but those are only rumors!" he quickly added. "So I thought I'd take a chance!"

"We are," I replied casually, making him do a spit take.

"W-What?"

"Unofficially. I haven't seen him in a few months, but we talk every so often," I sighed. "He's… very secretive." I'd forgotten that people were giving the more well-known [Clearers] nicknames, now. I had been gaining the name of 'The Flash', while DaTa's was 'The Blademaster'. Kai even had a nickname. 'The Laughing Fox' was the more well-known one, but also 'The Baitor' had stuck around. Kai hated both of them. The second one for obvious reasons, but the first one, he claimed, held resemblance to the new [Red Guild] that had sprung up over New Year's, the [Laughing Coffin]. The date went as well as it could have. It was quiet and awkward, and while the boy had a decent time, I felt even more alone. I had a room in the same place we ate, so I simply ascended to the third floor of the inn and opened my door. Imagine my surprise when a figure dressed in white leather armor, decorated with silver trimmings was sitting on my bed. He had a steel chest plate on, as well as arm and leg guards. His boots and gauntlets were made of a white metal to match the leather outfit. Strapped to his right hip was a beautiful ornate katana with the visage of a dragon on the sheath.

"Hello, Asuna," he spoke up in a smooth voice. It was much more relaxed than when I'd met him, oozing with power and confidence. I liked it. His eyes looked over me, and I felt like a kitten being gazed upon by a lion. His [Level]… was overwhelming. He was already [Level] thirty-six. "It's been a while."

"Y-Yeah…" unconsciously, I brushed a strand of hair behind my ear. "Ah… happy Valentine's Day," I said, getting a smile from him. "Are you just visiting, or…?" I trailed off, shifting on my feet. He was so well groomed, he looked like a prince!

"Something like that," was his reply, with a wink. "I've decided to stay the night. Is that alright with you?"

"Y-Yeah, sure!" I wasn't going to turn him down! I quickly took off my uniform and went into the bathroom. As the water washed over me, I felt my mind rapidly thinking of his presence. It was all a blur from then. I was too tired to really remember much, but I could still remember the sensations. His caresses. Our flesh pressed together. The frantic love of two separated halves brought whole once more. And again, I felt _him_. When he was gone, the world around me was virtual again. Cold. Unforgiving textures made by ones and zeroes. But with him, it all felt real. The softness of the fabrics. The heat of the room. The sounds of passion and adoration. We never went all the way. As tempting as it was, I still wasn't ready to let myself completely give in. Not until we were in a stable relationship. But I could still feel his warm hands, touching me in places I'd kept hidden from everyone else. Making me feel things I'd never even dreamed I could feel. But like a dream, it was over too quickly. When I woke the next day, he was gone. The only proof of his existence was a single rose on my nightstand, and a pair of sapphire earrings. And a note.

 _To my strong flower_

 _Sweet smelling and beautiful_

 _With a deadly thorn_


	4. Chapter 4: Love is Blind

TheKaiSenpai doesn't own SAO or anything else used here, and this is just something he does when he's bored.

 **XXXXX**

 **Chapter 4: Love is Blind**

 **[Floor Twenty-Six] [Caluso, Town Hall] [February 18** **th** **, 2023] [11:24 AM] [TheKaiSenpai]**

Bored, that's what I was. I was sitting in a massive room with high windows and tropically painted walls. The floor was a white tile, and the table in front of me was a dark oak. The seats were comfortable at least, being plush and soft. Surrounding the table were the [GM's] who would be partaking of the [Floor Boss Raid]. As the [GM] of the first [Guild] to ever partake in a [Raid], I was seated at the head of the table. In seats above us, surrounding the room on balconies, the remaining [Clearers] not associated with a [Guild] sat, intently waiting for our meeting to start. We were, however, waiting for our final guest, the representative of the [Howling Samurai]. I was sure that it would be FieldReaper43 again, the [Guild's] Vice-Commander. She was fairly agreeable, and was lax in her approach to the game. Overall a nice girl, if a bit young.

Around the table were the other [GM's] from almost every major [Guild] in the game. Starting from my left and working clockwise, there was MechManiC, from the [Roaring Dragons]. It was a fairly small [Guild] with only ten members, but they hit harder than most their size. Next to him was Noire, from the [Shadow Clan]. She actually had the smallest [Guild] in the room, only composed of herself and five of her friends. They were fairly good, but more for [Support] than [DPS] or [Tanking]. Beside her was an empty chair reserved for the [Howling Samurai]. Next to the chair was where Kibaou from the [Aincrad Liberation Force] once sat, but after their crushing defeat with the [Floor Twenty-Five] [Boss], he'd pulled back to the [First Floor]. Instead, he'd been replaced by the [GM] of the [Knights of the Blood Oath], Heathcliff, a [Guild] that had existed since the start of the game, but was only recently feeling confident enough to join the [Clearers]. Beside Heathcliff and myself sat Kirito, who was a guest of the 'Council' due to his large contributions to [Boss Raids]. He was an annoying prick, though.

"As incredibly exciting as it is sitting around doing nothing," Kirito groaned from his seat. "Can we just start already? I can feel myself decaying into nothing in the real world."

"Patience, Kirito," Heathcliff tried to keep the boy placated. I'm sure Reaper has a good reason for being late."

"For over a half hour!?" the resident 'Black Swordsman' protested. "Seriously, it took less time for the old man here to take a shit than it's been taking this idiot to get here!" Kirito was thumbing towards Heathcliff, much to the older man's ire.

"Chill, dude," MechManiC chuckled. "It's not like the rest of us have anywhere to be. The meeting's scheduled for the full day, we'll be fine!"

"Uuuuugh!" Kirito slammed his face into the table. Kirito's groaning, however, was interrupted by the sound of the door opening.

"Finally, now we can-" Noire started, only to freeze after she had turned to look at who'd entered. My own eyes were wide with surprise. It was the man I hadn't seen in over two months!

"Sorry I'm late," DaTa spoke smoothly. Damn, his voice was like butter, all creamy and delicious! "I was… held up. But rest assured, it will not happen again." In my head I was translating what he said into English. He had a British accent. Fancy as fuck. He was dressed up in expensive looking armor, the kind you'd find off of a [Dungeon Boss], and his normally messy black hair was pulled back into a short tail.

"Ah, I must assume you are the true Commander of the [Howling Samurai]?" Heathcliff asked DaTa, garnering a nod from the boy as he sat directly across from me. He was leaned forward, and had his hands clasped together as they rested on the table. His eyes shone with a firmness to them that was missing the last time I'd seen him. But I knew he had it in him.

"I am," DaTa replied. "My name is DaTa, and I thank you all for inviting my [Guild] to join the [Clearers]. I apologize for being unable to partake in recent meetings, as I've been rather busy." I noticed that Noire was giving the boy a complex look.

"Enough with the chit-chat, let's do this already!" Kirito shouted. They all turned to me.

"As [Raid Commander], I now declare that this [Guild Master] and [Boss Raid] meeting has begun," I started, looking over each of the leaders. "I will now take roll call, please respond with 'here' to announce your presence. MechManiC."

"Here."

"Noire."

"Here."

"DaTa."

"Here."

"Heathcliff."

"Here."

"Kirito."

"I'm here, retard," Kirito growled. I sighed, straightening the many papers settled in front of me. This would be a long meeting…

"Due to the nature of this meeting, I would like for the following guests to acknowledge their presence," I continued. "Thinker, of the [Aincrad Liberation Force]."

"Here," a masculine voice called from the balcony. He was a tall man, dressed in modest green clothing and with messy salt and pepper hair. Thinker had a rather nerdy look to him. He was lanky, probably not the best man for fighting. I knew him well, though, as he was quite the excellent tactician.

"Klein, from [Fuurinkazan]," I announced.

"Here!" the fiery redhead replied, a wide smile on his face. I liked him, he was a cool guy.

"As all members are present, I declare this meeting to order," I announced. I laid down the papers in my hands. "Our first issue is that of the rising cases of death, despite the game having been going on for several months now. While some are explained away by sheer bad luck and people being idiots, we can't afford to keep losing our population like this. Does anyone know its causes?"

"What you said is exactly it," DaTa spoke up. "They're idiots. They're overestimating themselves and throwing themselves into danger. Since this jackass," DaTa pointed to Kirito, "was doing so well as a solo player, everyone thinks they can be the second 'Black Swordsman'."

"Hey, it's not my fault they aren't as good as me!" Kirito defended himself. "Perfection like mine is nearly impossible to achieve!"

"Incredibly misplaced ego aside, it's still causing a lot of death among players," Noire interjected. "We can't just keep letting them throw themselves out there!"

"But we can't really tell them what to do, can we?" MechManiC asked. "I mean, we aren't their parents. They don't hafta listen to us."

"But we can't do nothing!" Klein added from the balcony, leaning over the railing. "If we do nothing, we're just letting people die!"

"We make an announcement then. Fliers," Heathcliff suggested. "We make it obvious that it's unsafe to go alone, and to take at least one other person in a [Party] before leaving a [Safe Zone]."

"That sounds good," Noire nodded in agreement. "At least then they have some sort of information."

"Information and suggestions without knowing the risks are near worthless," DaTa argued. "If they're going to listen to anyone, then they need to _know_ that their lives are in jeopardy being alone. Just telling them isn't enough."

"He makes a good point," I spoke up. "Gamers are incredibly stubborn. DaTa can attest to this; that gamers hate changing the way they play, especially if it works for them. We can tell these people to [Party] up all we want, but unless we give them a reason to believe it benefits them much more than playing solo, they won't."

"Well, your [Drop Rates] and [EXP Gain] increase with the more [Party Members] you have," MechManiC said. "Maybe convince them with that?"

"Are you kidding me?" Kirito scoffed. "The increases are pathetic! I've been solo this entire game and I'm _still_ at a higher [Level] than all of you!" The meeting went on like that, with every issue brought up being debated upon by the Council and its guests. It went on for the entire day until everything was wrapped up in the evening.

"As Head Moderator of this meeting, I declare it adjourned."

 **XXXXX**

 **[Floor Twenty-Six] [Caluso, Tiki Tropicale] [February 18** **th** **, 2023] [7:21 PM] [Asuna]**

"And then he just hits me!" Kirito cried, slamming his fist onto the table. Ever since the [Teleport Gate] for this [Floor] had opened, we'd been meeting here in the evenings to eat together every so often. We'd come across each other by accident, but since DaTa had disappeared once more, I decided I needed some company that wasn't part of the [Guild]. Godfree was alright, but… he was kind of eccentric and weird. "I'm like, 'what the hell man!?' And he was like, 'Pay attention when DaTa is talking'. Oh, right so the leader of the [Howling Samurai] is some bag of douches named DaTa. Complete sissy. Bet he couldn't kill a boar."

"W-Wait, DaTa is here!?" I exclaimed, standing up quickly. Kirito nearly fell back out of his chair.

"Whoa, whoa, calm down there, ginger snaps," he grumbled. "He left right after the meeting. Said something about being able to finally be in a 'stable relationship'. Like a guy like him could ever find a girl, am I right?" I was frozen. It took a moment for the words to register in my head. Had DaTa… found someone else? He hadn't told me any of this! No, he wouldn't find another person. He promised! I vaguely remembered him promising to always be with me. A promise he broke. He… had, hadn't he? He was the first guy to ever see my body… The first guy I'd ever exposed myself to… Did he… just want to see me naked, and left when he got what he wanted? I was shaken from my thoughts by Kirito snapping his fingers in front of my face. "Hey, hey. Earth to Asuna, anyone in that giant empty brain of yours?" I glared at him.

"Oh shut it, dumbass," I snapped. I could feel my heart breaking, though. After all we'd been through, was it really just fake. I frowned, looking at Kirito closely. Well, he wasn't really unattractive, if you got past the insufferable attitude he had. Maybe… just one night. To just forget everything.

What was I, stupid!? No, DaTa would never! He would never have spent so much time on me just to leave me! Ugh, I couldn't believe I'd even thought of sleeping with a slimeball like Kirito of all people. I felt sick. I needed to go back to my room. "I'm going home," I mumbled, standing up slowly. I ignored the things around me, just wanting to get home. Several players cleared the way for me as I walked down the streets. How could I have even thought like that? How could I doubt the boy I loved? No, it was behind me. I would never think like that again. I found myself returning to my room at the [Sea Dragon Inn], and shutting the door behind me. I turned on my light, taking a deep breath. I just needed time alone. I'd spent the entire day with the [Guild], and topping it off with Kirito wasn't helping me at all. I missed the days of when it was just DaTa and myself. I never felt too pressured, and I never felt so exhausted at the end of the day that I wanted to scream. I groaned, unequipping everything and flopping back onto my bed, closing my eyes. I didn't even notice myself falling asleep.

 **XXXXX**

 **[Floor Twenty-Six] [Caluso, Sea Dragon Inn] [February 19** **th** **, 2023] [1:43 AM] [Asuna]**

I slowly awoke to an odd sensation. My mind was too hazy to figure out what exactly it was, but it felt foreign, but distinctly familiar. It took me a moment to realize that there was another weight on my bed. Another moment to realize that there was a hand caressing my body. A pervert? No, they would have done more. This hand… Was warm…

"You've had a long day, haven't you, sleepy head?" a silky smooth voice murmured above me. I moaned in pleasure, recognizing it instantly. My body instinctively relaxed into his touch.

"You're here…" I whispered, enjoying the sensation of his hands exploring me. Compared to what we'd done a few days ago, this was tame. "Did you miss me so much… that you came back…?" I heard him chuckle.

"Yeah," he mumbled. "I'm back, just like I promised. I'm here to stay." I rolled over, looking up through the darkness at his face. Half of his face was illuminated by the moonlight filtering in through the window, and the rest was covered in shadows. He must have turned the light off earlier. I mewled softly, squirming when his hand caressed my breast.

"Stop it…" I moaned, swatting his hand away. I raised my arms and pulled him down with me. He was just as unclothed as I was. "You're going to sleep with me," I commanded him. I could see the grin on his face. "Pervert…"

"You made me this way," he claimed. I rolled my eyes and weakly shook my head, sighing.

"Just sleep… I'm too tired…" He chuckled again, wrapping his arm around me, and I wrapped my own around him, pulling him closer to me. I smiled, happy to feel alive once more. "I love you…"

"I… love you too," he replied to me. I fell into the bliss of sleep.

 **XXXXX**

 **[7:25 AM]**

I moaned softly and wrapped my arms around tighter the man beside me as I felt myself wake, letting my fingers dance across his warm chest. He was here. He was real. And he wasn't going to leave me behind again. My heart raced briefly. A stable relationship. We could have that now. That was what Kirito had said that DaTa was yearning for. I wasn't going to let this chance slip away from me! Besides…. He had told me last night that he loved me. It was obvious that we were finally going to be an official couple.

I felt DaTa shift in bed, his arm wrapping tighter around me. When I opened my eyes, I saw his looking back down at me. They were filled with kindness and adoration. His face was soft and relaxed, something I'd almost never see on the other players. They were always stressed about something. Always in with the hustle and bustle of the game. Even the normally goofy Kai had been affected, forced to spend more time as the Head Moderator of the [Guild] Council and as a [GM] than spending time with Aya, much to her disliking. The responsibilities put on everyone around me were slowly breaking them down, but DaTa seemed even stronger, even more determined than before.

"So we're an item, now," DaTa spoke with a sigh, his eyes closing once more. He looked so at peace. I wanted to be like that too. "Sounds good to me." A smile began to form on my lips as I let myself relax in his embrace. My relaxation was interrupted, however, when I heard a ringing sound, indicating I'd gotten a [PM]. I sighed, looking up and pulling down my [Menu], going to my [PMs]. It was from Aya.

[Hello, Asuna-chan,] Aya had written. [I'm going out to play at the Coconut Breeze Inn in a few hours. I have the rest of the day to myself, however. Kai has been busy training the new recruits and hasn't had much time with me. He's even been having to spend nights filing paperwork with all the other Guilds.] I glanced at DaTa. I knew that all of the other [GMs] had a lot of work to do. How did DaTa escape the responsibilities?

"Aya wants to meet up with me, later," I told DaTa, deciding to ask about his responsibility dodging another time. "I also have to sharpen my blade. I'll be running by a blacksmith soon, do you need anything?" As I spoke, I had started to get up, equipping my [KoB] uniform. It was a cute piece, complete with a short red skirt and a shoulderless, dressy white top with a longer skirt around the sides and back. I also had a specially crafted rapier from a close friend I had made, and the official blacksmith of the [KoB], a normally cheery girl by the name of Lisbeth. The rapier's name was [Lambent Light], and was currently at [+2]. Even still, it was leagues ahead of most of the other weapons among the [Clearers], even Kai's weapons.

"Nah, I'll be fine," DaTa replied, dressing himself as I did. He looked just as dashing as he had on Valentine's Day. "I might run down to the [Market], I've been meaning to grab some ingredients for meals. We haven't had anything homecooked together before, so I think making something good would be nice." I gave him an incredulous look. "What?"

"As your girlfriend, you leave cooking meals to me!" I crossed my arms, trying to give him a stern look.

"Well, there goes feminism," he commented, chuckling. I had no problem giving him a harsh glare after those words. "Hey, hey, I'm joking." He raised his hands defensively, but the smile hadn't left his face. "I'll let you cook, today. But tomorrow, dinner is on me." He assured me. I thought about it for a moment before relenting.

"Fine," I sighed, resting my hands on my hips. DaTa was extraordinarily strong willed at times. Normally he was very lax in nature, but he had a certain look in his eyes when he was putting his foot down, you just had to know what it looked like. Such as the situation with cooking, I could tell he was fine with me cooking, but he wanted to do the same for me on occasion. He must have been proud of it. "But nothing too exotic, I don't want you messing up and ruining the ingredients!"

"Bah, as if I'd ever," his wide grin was back. The two of us left our room and headed downstairs. When we came to the front door of the inn, we stopped. "I'll see you later, alright?" he spoke now in a calm, polite tone. He was probably trying to keep the visage of a [GM] in front of other people. I replied in kind, offering him a small bow of respect.

"I'm looking forward to it," I replied, a smile on my face as I turned around and walked away, heading first towards Lisbeth's. She'd set up a small shop at the edge of [Caluso], but was planning on moving to another location as the game went on. Something about it being 'too humid to work effectively'. I never really understood the sciences behind being a blacksmith, but I was fairly certain that humidity didn't effect it inside of a video game.

It took me only a half hour to arrive at her small beach-cottage style shop. When I arrived, however, I was surprised to find that I was not the only one who had decided to arrive so early in the day. Lis had told me that most of her customers would arrive sometime in the afternoon rather than in the morning. Even then, Lis never really had many customers to begin with. She wasn't exactly the best blacksmith around, but by no means the worst. She simply didn't look the part. Her stiff and ruddy apron and leather clothing looked out of place on her. Added to that, while she was normally very cute, she didn't really draw any attention to her good looks. Because of that, men who would normally come in simply to speak to a good looking girl wouldn't look twice at her shop, even less the owner hidden inside.

That was why it was surprising to find an exceedingly tall young woman standing at Lisbeth's counter, closely examining a rather plain longsword. She only had basic [Leather Armor] that would do a decent job defending her, but they were a dime a dozen in this game. Stropped to her side was also a plain longsword. Again, it would do the killing fairly well, but it was of low quality. Lisbeth's weaponry would be considered top tier in comparison.

"-so you'll get all of it for just 100,000 [Col], all I need are the [Special Ingredients]," I heard Lisbeth behind the counter. The blonde in front of me was just slightly taller than me, but she was a good head taller than Lisbeth.

"I understand…" the woman spoke slowly, in a light ringing voice tone that reminded me of Aya's. "Such fine craftsmanship…" The blonde stiffened as I walked up, turning to look at me. She was stunning. Her face was definitely angled, with a light skin tone that was more common on Europeans than Japanese, suggesting a non-Japanese parent. She also had cloudy blue eyes that seemed focused on nothing, yet everything around her. Her expression was one of light surprise when she looked at me, though she seemed to be withholding some of her emotions. Her hair, a wavy blonde, was pulled back in a semi-messy ponytail, held together by a rather large black bow.

"Asuna!" Lis shouted with excitement, rushing around the counter and hugging me. Her light brown hair bounced a bit as she moved, before I was suddenly hugged by the barely younger girl. "Oh man, it's been forever since I last saw you! Last I heard, you had just joined the [KOB]!" Lis finally let me go and smirked. "Has a certain 'Blademaster' been keeping you busy?" She winked and nudged me a few times. I groaned in annoyance.

"Lis, that's personal!" I protested. "What I do when I'm not training is none of your business!" The blonde cleared her throat.

"Excuse me," she intercepted Lisbeth's inevitable rant. "Your name is… Asuna?" she asked me. I nodded in reply, offering her my hand. She moved methodically, slowly, as if it were a preplanned action, before catching herself and grasping my hand at a normal speed, shaking it.

"I am, it's nice to meet you," I told her. "I'm glad you're here. Lisbeth's been having some trouble with customers lately." The woman laughed, though it sounded more like a restrained giggling.

"Perhaps it's because she has no problem speaking her mind," she teased. "She scares potential customers off." I laughed as Lisbeth's shoulders slumped in false hurt.

"Aww, you guys are mean!" Lis replied jokingly. "It's not like I don't want customers, I just can't seem to bring them in!"

"Maybe a makeover?" I suggested. I wasn't the first time I'd made such a comment, but Lis was determined to grab players' attention her own way. "What do you say…?" I trailed off, waiting for the blonde woman's name.

"Lilly," she replied. "Satou Lilly. It's a pleasure to meet you." She glanced between the two of us. "I apologize, but I should be off. A few friends and I are meeting for lunch." She smiled at Lisbeth and bowed slightly. "Thank you for your help, Lisbeth. I will return at a later date with the materials you require." She then turned to me and offered me a small bow as well. "It has been a pleasure, Asuna." With that, Lilly left the shop. She seemed to have a very slow walk compared to most people, more like a stroll than actual walking.

"She's a peculiar one," I noted as soon as she'd left. "What was it she wanted?"

"A few specialty weapons," Lis replied, moving back behind her counter. "Those friends of hers and herself are in a [Guild], and they're considering joining the front lines." I grimaced. Even more work for Kai, it seemed. My expression didn't go unnoticed. "Oh, don't worry! They're a tiny [Guild]; only three people in it. There shouldn't be much work regarding them." I sighed in relief. "So, what did you need, Asuna?" I drew my [Lambent Light +2] and set it on the counter.

"I was hoping you could add a [Sharpness] [Enchantment] and [Upgrade] it another [Level]," I told her, pulling fifteen [Sea Serpent's Fangs] from my [Inventory] and laying them beside my rapier. Lisbeth smiled.

"My pleasure."

 **XXXXX**

 **[Floor Twenty-Seven] [Ronbaru, Shining Crystal Lounge] [March 10** **th** **, 2023] [1:30 PM] [TheKaiSenpai]**

I sat across from the three teenagers at a rather comfortable lounge. It was one of the few places with any plants, being a 'sanctuary' created by the [Dark Elves]. It had a lot of grass and a few flowers here and there, but that was about it. We all sat around a small round table made of smoothed stone, with a polished top. Directly across from me sat a young man with light brown hair, and young-looking face. He had hazel eyes and a shifty look on his face, glancing between myself and the girl called Lilly every so often. It was obvious that she was pretty much the one in charge of the three of them, but she had insisted that this Hisao boy was to be their spokesperson.

"It will be deadly," I told them bluntly, cupping my hands together and resting my elbows on the rock in front of me. "I assure you that your chances of survival will be slim, especially coming in so late. Your [Guild] has no allies, and you yourselves are on the lower spectrum of the [Level] range among the [Clearers]. From what I can tell, all of your skills are not with fighting. You'd be slaughtered out there." I glanced at Lilly. "Especially one with your history."

"Hey, you can't just talk to her so rudely!" Hisao protested, leaning forward over the table. I shot him a glare, silencing him. Lilly's eyes were shut, face set with deep concentration. Not once had she opened her eyes through the entire meeting.

"He's not wrong, Hisao," she finally replied. "It's true, I'm unused to this type of life. I would be better off staying in a [Safe Zone] and waiting for everyone else to win this game for us. But…" She opened her eyes, and despite their unfocused look, I could see her determination. "I will not sit idly by like I had before." She spoke calmly, but there was fire behind her words. "I will not let either of you down again." She turned to me. "I will fight. If need be, I will stay behind and distribute [Health Potions] and [Health Crystals] to the others, but I will not stand idly by." Hisao sighed as I laid my attention onto him.

"I'm in too," he said. "The [Tea Club] always sticks together." I was still pretty surprised at their [Guild] name. It was a pretty weird one, to be honest. I turned to the final member, a disfigured young woman named PaperGirl18, though her real name was Hanako. She was also Hisao's girlfriend. She was pretty twitchy, and had been squirming in her seat for the entire meeting. She hadn't met my eyes the entire time. "Hana…"

"I won't blame you if you decide not to take part in it, PaperGirl," I told her. "A game like this isn't for the shy and meek. As much… progress as Hisao claims you've made, you must be willing to openly work with others." I paused to let it sink into the dark haired girl's mind. "If you decide you still want to join them, I'll have your entire [Guild] as [Support] to distribute [Health Items] to those fighting." Right, PaperGirl18 was the [GM]. It was a strange way to distribute leadership. PaperGirl was the [GM], but all decisions pretty much went to Lilly. Lilly, however, looked to Hisao as the leader of their group. Hisao, in turn, looked to PaperGirl18 before making any final say. It was a wheel in which only disaster could come from. I needed to have that fixed before they even came close to the front lines. Unfortunately, that meant that someone had to take charge in their [Guild]. Since I was running one of my own, and didn't have the time to train them personally, I had to find someone I trusted to lead them. I knew just the person.

"I… I-I want t-to be there…" Hanako finally spoke softly. I gave her a soft nod, taking care not to stare at the burns on the right side of her body. While they didn't particularly bother me, I didn't want to seem rude. Hisao seemed to notice this and shot me a comforting look. He probably had the same issue when he first met her.

I looked them all over and handed them a single form. "Your signatures, if you will," I asked of them. Each of them signed the paper, and I placed it back in my inventory. "Excellent. You'll be within the [Support Squad] behind those fighting. I'll arrange a meeting point and time with the [Raid Support Sub-Commander]." I pulled down my [Friends List] and sent a [Request] towards Hisao, feeling that I'd probably get an actual response from him. "You'll be meeting with a girl by the name of Noire. I'll also set up some extra…" I tried to find a non-accusatory word, "assistance for your [Guild]. He runs one of his own, but lets his players run themselves, so he'll have a lot of free time." I inwardly smirked. He'd gotten on my ass about not spending a lot of time with Aya. While I understood his point and agreed with him, it didn't mean I wasn't going to mess with him and Asuna. I also inwardly grimaced. Asuna was going to kill me for this.

"Welcome to the [Clearers]," I told them standing up. They did the same. I shook both Lilly's and Hisao's hands, but PaperGirl18 shied away from me. I shrugged it off. As long as they didn't get in the way, things would be fine.

 **XXXXX**

 **[Floor Twenty-Seven] [Ronbaru, Crystal Training Ground] [March 13** **th** **, 2023] [5:15 PM] [DaTa]**

I stood across from the three trainees that would be joining the [Clearers] in the next [Boss Raid], each of them looking a bit nervous. I sighed, glancing at Asuna who was standing beside me. She and the one girl, Lilly, had met before. Despite that, we all still felt like strangers. I needed to get these three ready to go before the next [Raid]. At least strong enough to not die. Lilly seemed dependable, but not much of a fighter. She was too slow, too used to whatever lifestyle that she had before. Hanako was too mousy, unable to fight even in the slightest. All of her [Levels] came from her [Cooking] and [Tailoring] [Skills]. Hisao was the only one who could actually put up a decent fight, but he had self-imposed limitations. His arrhythmia was causing him to doubt himself, limiting how well he could fight in game.

I remembered these three from my first life as well, from a Visual Novel. While it had been a long time since then, I knew the basics of them. Lilly was blind, and took life rather slow and methodically as such. Hisao had heart problems, and couldn't partake in any stressful activities. Hanako was just extremely shy and jittery, a habit that would be rectified with Hisao as her boyfriend, but still a recurring issue. Old habits were hard to break. It was a good thing they wouldn't be fighting.

"From what I've seen," I told them, my arms crossed, "you all are quite out of shape. You especially, Hisao." I knew why, but it didn't mean I could hold back. They needed to be in shape to enter the [Raid]. Sure, they'd be away from outright fighting, but collateral damage could happen. I wanted them away from that.

They, however, were huffing and puffing. Even the normally composed Lilly was exhausted, resting her hands on her knees. It seemed that the game itself transferred data and sensations straight into your head, giving her 'sight'. While she was still blind, in the game she could see. She almost seemed reluctant to clear the game and leave.

"I apologize," she sighed, finally standing up straight. She had a pained expression on her face as she tried to appear presentable. Her eyes were shut, and she had a soft frown on her face, though with hints of a grimace at the edges of her lips. "I will perform better in the future." I nodded, glancing once more at Asuna, who had since sat down on a nearby boulder. She was going through her menu. Doing what, I wasn't really sure.

"Jeez, you're running us ragged," Hisao managed through labored breaths. He was on his hands and knees, though his arms were shaking as they tried to support his body. "Have a bit of mercy."

"The [Floor Bosses] with give you no mercy, so neither can I," I told him. I sighed and walked over to my girlfriend, resting my hand on her shoulder. "Asuna, why don't you help Hisao with his training? He uses a rapier as well, so it will be easier for him to learn from you. I'll see what I can do with Hanako and Lilly."

"Just be careful," she told me, sending me a worried look. "I don't want them dying." I chuckled, rolling my eyes as her expression slipped into a smile.

"You didn't die," I defended myself. "They should be fine. Besides, they aren't learning to fight. They're learning to survive." I glanced back over at the three, who were just now able to get back on their feet without looking too terribly bad. I'd put them through my preliminary test, a full on battle against me to [Half Health]. They lasted five seconds, almost a record for newbies.

"I'll do what I can," Asuna sighed. "You, Hisao!" she shouted, grabbing the boy's attention. I chuckled. I loved it when she used her commanding voice. Not on me, though. It was funny on others. "Come with me, we're going to train!"

"Can't we take a break?" Hisao tried to escape his fate. "It's getting late!"

"You can sleep when you're dead!" Asuna argued, making the boy flinch. She grabbed him by the arm and dragged him away. "C'mon, lover boy. Let's get you ready."

"W-Wait!" Hisao protested. "Ah, I guess I'll meet you at the hotel, Hana!" I chuckled once more, watching the two disappear. That left me with the two girls. Oh boy, every man's dream.

"My, my, DaTa seems to have quite the scary look on his face," Lilly teased, still breathing a bit heavily. I rolled my eyes and approached the two of them, resting my hands on their shoulders. Or I tried, anyway. Hanako fidgeted away, and Lilly was simply too tall to do such with.

"That leaves the three of us," I told them both. I looked over towards Hanako. "I can assign you to train with Noire, if you like," I told her. "You seem more receptive to the girl than you are with me."

"T-T-Thank you…" Hanako replied. It was a start.

"Please, don't take it too personally," Lilly pressed, an apologetic expression on her face. "She's simply shy towards new people. After some time, she'll come to enjoy your company as well." I nodded, sending a [PM] to Noire to pick up her new trainee. "Say, DaTa?" I raised my hand, stopping her as I finished my [PM]. After hitting send, I looked up at her.

"Hm?"

"You wouldn't happen to also be the same DaTa who performs on Youtube, would you?" she asked slowly, as if doubting her own words. "You have quite the uncanny resemblance to him, and your voice is quite similar as well."

"Ah, you're a fan?" I asked, a smile forming on my face. She nodded slightly.

"I started listening to your videos when you began your 'Readings' series," Lilly explained. "My favorite was when you read _The Lord of the Rings_ series." She gave me a light smile. "Normally, I cannot join the others when they go to the movies. However, having the story read to me was quite enthralling. I felt like a child again, with an older sibling reading me to sleep." Reaching forward, she took my hand. "It's quite a pleasure to meet you in person." She slowly reached up, stopping right as her hand was hovering close to my face. Immediately, she pulled her hands away. "Ah, oh my…" she chided herself. "Look at me, holding the hand of a man who's already spoken for. I apologize."

"It's no issue," I told her, waving it off. I watched as Noire tried to discreetly draw Hanako away from us. She shot me a nasty glare, however. I shrugged in response. "You're holding it in, aren't you?" Lilly's face broke from a soft smile to a pained expression. It was only for an instant, however, before it returned to her regular, passive look.

"I-I'm sorry?" she pleaded, already knowing that I'd seen through her, but she tried to brush it off anyway. I motioned towards where Hanako had left.

"You're jealous of her, aren't you? You liked Hisao as well." I needed her to stop holding back as much. Doing so would only hurt her in the long run, especially stuck in a game like this. The sorrow that appeared on her face told me everything I needed to know.

"She deserves to be happy," Lilly finally admitted. I took her arm and led her to the boulder Asuna had been sitting on earlier. Together, we sat down on it. "He's good for her. He encourages her to go out and do things for herself. To explore the world around her. She's done so much in the short time Hisao and she have known one another than in the time I've taken care of her."

"So what," I started," are you saying that you don't deserve to be happy as well?" She looked away from me, down towards the ground. "Lilly!"

"I don't know!" she shouted frantically. Immediately, she attempted to reel herself back in. "I don't know. I wish for my friends to be happy. I know that Hisao is good for Hanako, and likewise the other way around."

"Lilly," I sighed, looking for the right words. "You aren't a bad person for wanting something. Much less wanting love." She bit down on her lower lip, and I could see she was thinking over my words. "To put the happiness of your friends over your own… It's brave. It's noble. You should be proud to have such a trait." Her expression gave away her befuddlement at my words. "But it's also self-destructive. You can help others all you want, but don't be afraid to be selfish from time to time." I paused to give her time to reflect over my words. I stood, brushing off my armor. "Once upon a time I was just like you. I wished for everyone around me to be happy, and thought nothing of my own." I offered her my hand. She gingery reached up and took it, and I helped her stand. "I was miserable. I became bitter towards the world and wished to destroy it." I chuckled. "You may not go to such an extreme, but the life of the fully unselfish is a life of great sacrifice and sorrow."

"What would you have me do," Lilly asked slowly. I smiled, resting my hand on her arm.

"Live," I told her. "Let nobody decide your future. You are Satou Lilly, and you shoud be proud to be so. Live for your friends and care for them, but also take care of yourself. Your needs. Your wants. They matter, do you understand?" Lilly nodded slowly, closing her eyes in thought. "And never think that anyone else deserves love more than you, because that's untrue. I may have just met you, but I know that you are an incredible young woman who's dealt with more than any person should have. It's time that you realized just how incredible you are, as well."

"That's enough," Lilly spoke sharply, but I could see the hints of a smile on her face. "Thank you, DaTa. It means quite a lot to hear those words." Lilly brushed a lock of hair behind her ear. "Though you must stop. You might even convince me to lower my own inhibitions and try to steal you for myself." She meant it as a joke, but I could see the conflict written in her expression. She was considering it. Any normal person wouldn't have noticed it, but as a shinobi, one had to see such things.

"I see," I sighed, knowing I'd pushed a bit too far. "Sorry for that." I chuckled and motioned towards the city. "Let's get something to eat. Any preferences?" I led us toward the inner workings of town, blinking when Lilly's hand suddenly grasped mine. "Hm? What's up?" Lilly was looking away, her eyes shut in concentration. Slowly, she brought my hand up to her heart, holding it with both hands.

"Do you… truly believe that I deserve happiness and love, even if it means I must be selfish?" she asked. I nodded, not even thinking twice.

"Everyone deserves to be happy," I told her. "And everyone deserves to be loved." I gripped her hand, making her face me. "You just have to find the right person. Hisao won't the be only one out there." Lilly looked down.

"I have… a confession," she let out a sigh. "My eyes… I'm blind, in the real world."

"I know." Her head snapped towards me. "I've seen blind people before, no offense meant there. I know what they look like, and how they move. For the most part, anyway. While most people would be inclined to believe you're just very relaxed, I know your actions are practiced and are used to not being able to see." I chuckled. "Habits die hard." My expression became a bit more serious as I pulled my hand away from her. "I know what you're going to ask. Who else would accept someone with such a limitation, aside from someone else with a limitation like yours. Right?" Lilly looked away once more, not hiding her frown.

"Yes," she admitted after a moment. "It must sound silly, but you would be astounded at how many boys have… refused me simply because I cannot see." She paused. "And how many others took… less than proper interest in me for the very same reasons."

"There are people like that," I informed her. "But every so often you get a pure hearted guy who just loves to love. Like Hisao, there." I decided to use her crush as an example. "I'm sure that even if he didn't have such troubles, he and Hanako would still be a strong couple. They didn't start off just loving one another, did they?"

"Well, no…" she began to see my logic.

"What did they do?"

"They grew upon one another," she sighed. There was more silence as we started making our way through the streets of town, the streetlights and the glowing crystals above lighting up the place. Suddenly, she spoke, "I prefer tea." It took me a moment to realize what she was referring to, but I finally got it. We arrived at a small player owned restaurant called [The Lit Cavern]. It was a quaint little place, with dark wood floors and walls made of stone. The inside was lit by the same glowing crystals found on the ceiling, giving it a romantic blue hue. We sat at a table closer to the back, and waited for our order to be taken. It was a booth-type table, separated by a rocky wall from the other booths.

We sat in silence for a while, long enough to receive our food and begin eating. It was a small meal, consisting mainly of a sandwich and something to drink. In Lilly's case, tea. In my case, water. Finally, Lilly spoke.

"What if we have no choosing over who we are set with," she asked me out of the blue. I set the remainder of my sandwich down and thought for a moment.

"An arranged marriage?" I asked, earning a nod from her. "What did I tell you earlier? Let nobody decide your future." She nodded once more, closing her eyes. "Do you dislike him?"

"I don't," she answered. "Yet… he is not in love with me. Nor I, with him." She sighed. "It's… a marriage arranged by my father. For the best interests of my family. He means well, but he is a man who dislikes any lack of control." Lilly looked at me once more. "I had looked at this game as an escape from the world. When Hanako had brought it up, I laughed at first. But she strung me in." She paused. "She and Hisao dislike being trapped here. They see it as a cage. I see the real world as a cage. I've become trapped in a political game my father wished to play, bound to a man I have no love for." Lilly laughed bitterly, a pained smile on her face. "I apologize, this is not something you have any desire to know."

"It's fine," I told her. "I'm always here to talk to." I handed the waiter some [Col] as payment for our food, before standing. Lilly did the same, and we left. "I'll see you another time. It's getting late out."

"Indeed, it is," Lilly agreed, now walking beside me instead of trailing behind me. "Asuna is a lucky woman, having gained your attention." The forced smile was back. She was jealous of Asuna as well. I sighed and turned to her.

"You'll find someone," I told her. "Just have a little faith." Lilly giggled, and I could see a light flush visible on her face. God dammit.

"Perhaps," she said. "Though perhaps I should heed your advice. You've given me quite a bit to contemplate, thank you." I nodded, turning and giving her a slight wave as I left her.

"I'll [PM] Hisao on our next training session. See ya," with that I allowed myself to walk away.

 **XXXXX**

 **[Floor Twenty-Seven] [Labyrinth] [March 25** **th** **, 2023] [12:47 PM] [Asuna]**

I was standing near the front of the [Raid Party], staring at the massive pair of doors before us. They looked like regular doors, ones you'd find on a normal house. They were arched, but still pretty basic. The tunnel we all stood in looked as if they were carved by hand, and would be pretty beautiful if it weren't for the horrifying possibility of death in the future. I looked up at all of the [Guild Leaders] standing in front of us. Well, all except PaperGirl18, who had chosen to leave Hisao as a type of ambassador. I knew that the shy girl and her friend, Lilly, were standing near the back somewhere.

"Inside will be the [Floor Boss]," Kai announced officially, standing front and center of the [Raid Commanders]. "[Terazim the Rogue Metalloid]. We all know the plan. [Tank Party One] will move in first, as usual. When needed, they will [Switch] with [Tank Party Two], and alternate. [DPS] will flank from the sides and aim for the legs. Once the legs break, we'll finish it off from the sides." There was a cheer of excitement, but nothing like compared to the first [Boss]. There was a change in the air. It wasn't an immediate change, but the joy that Kai had once brought was gone.

Kai kicked the doors open, and we all poured in. There was silence as we stood near the entrance, the only sounds filling the cavernous [Boss Room] was our breathing, and the scuttling noises along the walls. Wait, scuttling!? I looked up, seeing the huge metallic scorpion scrawling towards us on the ceiling. Its eyes glowed red, and a massive tail sprouted from the end of its body, with a sharp tip at the end. It had as well two giant metal claws, with razor sharp spikes on the inside.

"Above us!" DaTa shouted, drawing everyone's attention to the [Boss]. It let out a deafening metal shriek, like two pieces of metal being scraped against one another. It dropped down, knowing that its advantage of surprise was gone.

"[Tanks]! Form lines!" Kai called. Within seconds of the [Boss] hitting the ground, a large wall of sword and shield users had lined up and locked shields, protecting us from the shockwave that [Terazim] created. Even still, we could feel and hear the wind rushing past us, and a few players were pushed back. [Terazim the Metalloid] let out another painful screech, and seven [Health Bars] appeared by its name.

"[Support], with me!" I heard Noire call out from the back.

"Alright, [Tank Party One], engage!" Kai shouted, locking is shield in the center of the first [Tank Party]. He was always at the forefront of danger, but ever since the [Twentieth Floor], his [HP] had never once reached below halfway. [Terazim] slammed his stinger into Kai's shield, pushing the entire wall back as Kai was pushed back on his feet. "D-DaTa, start flanking, _now_!" He turned to me. "Get on it, you jerks!" His face was morphed into a snarl, hardness permeated in his eyes. Nothing like the man who had entered this game. I brushed off the stunned state I was in from seeing it, and rushed forward with my fellow rapier users.

"Alright, aim for its eyes!" I commanded the players under me, leaping into the air. Like missiles, we all lunged toward its face.

"Pull back! [Tank Party Two], engage!" I heard the sounds of battle all around me. While [Terazim's] claws were dealing with the [Tanks], his tail was trying its best to strike at the [DPS] players. Including DaTa.

"[Shooting Star]!" I shouted, rushing towards the scorpion's many eyes. I slammed my rapier into one of the left eyes, hearing my [Party] doing the same with the others. I stumbled, feeling [Terazim] shaking us off. While the others fell off, I kept a good firm grip on my rapier, keeping it lodged in the scorpion's only real weak point aside from its joints.

"Dammit!" Noire shouted. "A little help guys!" I turned, watching as [Terazim] had turned its attention from the [Tanks] and had locked onto the [Support Parties]. I pulled [Lambent Light +4] from [Terazim the Metalloid's] eye and leapt back, landing in front of Noire's [Support Party]. They were mainly in charge of low [DPS] through throwing knives.

"Kai!" I shouted, watching the man try and pull back with his entire [Party], using [Howl] in attempts to grab [Terazim's] attention.

"We're trying, dammit!" someone shouted back. "This fucker's dead set on someone from [Support]!" I growled, readying my blade. The first claw came forward, and I swiped my rapier to the side, effectively parrying the attack. I took damage due to the force of it, though. It was a tiny amount, but as I began parrying each swipe it made towards the fleeing [Support Party], I could see myself beginning to dip into the yellow. DaTa and his [DPS Parties] were still trying to impale the [Boss's] legs, but since they were metal, they had a high [Defense Stat] that made it difficult.

"Hah!" I heard a womanly voice cry out. [Terazim] shrieked, turning towards the sound. I noticed that its front left leg was missing, and who it was turning to.

"Lilly!" I shouted, with the [Boss] rearing back its giant claw to strike at the blonde who'd managed to knock it out from its sixth [Health Bar]. The claw came down. I wasn't fast enough.

"Dammit, woman! What part of [Healing Support] don't you understand!?" I heard DaTa shout. The world slowed down as I spotted a flash of white and black rush under [Terazim], slicing at its belly before running in front of Lilly. He held up his katana in a defensive position right as the claw was about to strike the woman behind him. It was too sudden, too fast that I saw him fly back towards the wall and slam into it. I saw as Klein pulled Lilly away to safety, but it wasn't important to me. I [Sprinted] to my boyfriend, who was laying like a rag doll against the wall behind him. He had a light smile on his face, and his eyes were dulling. He looked up at me, reaching up and cupping my face in his hand.

"DaTa…" I whimpered. No, I couldn't lose him like this! I opened my [Inventory] to grab a [Healing Crystal], but I was too late.

 **XXXXX**

 **A/N:**

 **Hello, good afternoon, and salutations! It's been a while since I've done a legitimate A/N, but here we go. No, I haven't given up on Reincarnation is Troublesome, but I have an issue where I work on one thing for too long, I start getting tired of it. This story is basically a long distant sequel, but will contain minimal spoilers for my other stories. Anyways, I hope you enjoy it. Please leave a review, as I can't improve my writing without any feedback!**


	5. Chapter 5: Uncertainty

TheKaiSenpai doesn't own SAO or anything else used here, and this is just something he does when he's bored.

 **XXXXX**

 **Chapter Five: Uncertainty**

 **[Floor Twenty-Seven] [Labyrinth, Terazin the Rogue Metalloid's Lair] [March 25** **th** **, 2023] [1:21 PM] [DaTa]**

Pain; that was all I felt as I laid slumped against the hard, craggy wall of the [Boss Room]. I glanced up at my [HP] on my [HUD]. I was in the yellow, and it was falling. I noticed Asuna run beside me, crying. I tried to smile. I tried to make her feel a little bit better. I reached up, wanting to feel her skin just one last time. I was in the red now. I wanted to tell her that I loved her. That she meant the world to me. But my lips simply wouldn't obey me. I knew what I wanted to do, but my body was going into shock. For once, I cursed the realism Kayaba had implemented into the game.

"Heal!" shouted a voice that was not Asuna's. I saw my girlfriend in her [Inventory], but there was also a now shattering [Health Crystal] being shoved into my face. I looked up, just beyond my girlfriend, seeing that is was Lilly who had been holding the [Healing Crystal]. Her eyes were wide with worry, tears pooling just a bit. Asuna was looking at the young woman with a shocked expression. If it had been Asuna who tried to heal me, I would have died. She simply would have been too late.

"L-Lilly?" Asuna gasped as the blonde pulled her hand away, before lunging at me and hugging me.

"I-I'm so sorry!" Lilly wept. "I should have known b-better!" I grunted, feeling my strength returning to me.

"Ah… It's fine…" I wheezed out, pushing Lilly away as I shakily stood. I grunted, watching the battle ahead of me. Kai had once more drawn the attention of [Terazin], but they had just hit its third [Health Bar].

 **"Skreeeeeee!"** the [Boss] shrieked as its right front leg was finally sliced off. It began extending, its body growing longer and more serpentine. While it still stood on only six legs, its upper torso was now long and waving in the air, like a snake had sprouted from its body. Its second form.

"Back up!" Kai shouted, herding everyone to one corner of the room, which now buzzed with electricity. The ceiling was a flat metal top with various tubes wired to the walls. In the center was a large crystal jutting down, connected to all of the tubes. While empty before, the tubes now shone with electricity.

Kai glanced over at me. "DaTa! I need you!" I nodded, understanding. I was back to full strength thanks to that crystal. I gave Lilly a smile.

"Thanks," I patted her shoulder before dashing into the fray. Immediately, I drew my blade, immediately slashing through [Terazin's] weakened legs, eliminating them completely. It began crawling towards the other players with its claws, tail reared up to strike as well. I leapt onto its back as It swung at the [Tanks], with Kai taking most of the blow. The front lines were now so close to the [Support] that the healers could restore the [Tanks'] [HP] as they took damage. They'd created a 'U' shape around the front of [Terazin], trapping it and keeping it from turning around to reach the [DPS] players attacking it from behind.

"It's back, stab the joints!" I called out, others repeating what I had done and raising their blades high, before stabbing in between [Terazin's] joints. The beast took another swing, but MechManiC used the shockwave produced to his advantage, flying high above everyone. Like a lantern, his mace glowed with an unholy pink light. He raised it to the sky, unleashing his one and only [Expert Skill]. The weapon glowed, encasing his weapon in a massive avatar, extending and growing until it became a great war hammer the size of [Terazin's] head. As he fell, he swung down.

"[Hephaestus Drop]!" he yelled, the massive avatar slamming into [Terazin], hammering its head into the ground with a huge shockwave. It was an [Expert Skill] that could only be used from large heights, ones that nobody could jump at.

As if it were a cue, the floodgates broke forth, every player unloading damage unto the unsuspecting [Boss]. While its [Health] had been draining at a crawl before, it was now siphoning away at a good pace. It was when [Terazin] hit his last [Health Bar] that the game changed again. He threw off everyone on his back and slithered to the center of the room.

"Everyone, stay back!" Heathcliff shouted. It was a good thing we all ran back to the edges. Not a second after he shouted those words, lightning descended from the massive gem on the ceiling, striking [Terazin]. It began to shriek once more, with something growing from its back. Forth they sprung, two massive, metallic wings. The ceiling exploded, with rocks crumbling from above. Everyone dodged and maneuvered their way from being crushed, and we realized that the [Boss Room] had just become taller. While it was massive enough in terms of width and length, now it was tall. The ground was also littered with boulders and pillars, remnants of the falling ceiling.

"Group up!" I heard Kai's voice shout from across the room. I immediately leapt up the side of a particularly tall boulder, watching [Terazin] flying around the room, circling us.

"Fuck," I cursed under my breath. I glanced around the floor, watching as groups of players fearfully came together. Normally they would be fine, but separated like this? The saying was true, 'To kill a snake, take off its head'. They had no leader to turn to. Not even Kai could reach all of them. [Terazin] swopped down, swinging its claws into a group of players. It was too fast for me to warn them, not that they would have heard me. With loud screams, four more players were gone from the world. "Fuck!" I growled, immediately taking command.

"All Commanders, top and center!" I yelled as loud as I could, leaping over the pillars and boulders to a particularly large and flat piece. It was large enough to hold a single [Party] of players, and would provide a good foothold. I watched as MechManiC was the first to arrive to it, stopping when I'd landed beside him. Next was Noire, who stood beside me, once more giving me a hard look. I'd deal with that later. Kai was next, looking exhausted, but still toting a huge longsword and kite-shield like it was nothing. Finally, Asuna arrived. She still looked worried about me, but knew that now wasn't the time to deal with that.

"This thing is becoming a pain in the ass," MechManiC grumbled, watching as the flying [Boss] was once more circling the room.

"It comes down too quickly and retreats, nobody would be able to get a good hit on it," Noire added. "This [Boss] is impossible!" I frowned, glancing at Asuna.

"When dealing with birds," I started.

"Clip its wings," Asuna finished. I nodded, looking at Kai.

"Kai, I need you to get its attention. Keep it stuck down here long enough for Asuna, Mech, and myself to get on top of it," I told him. He seemed unsure, but nodded anyway. "Asuna, you and I will do exactly that, clips the damn wings. Mech?"

"Whatcha need, dude?" he grinned, liking this plan apparently.

"Do you know how to work a joystick?" I asked. He nodded in response. "And your mace has a spike at the head, right?" His smile grew even more. "When that thing comes down, let's not cause any more deaths, got it?"

"Aye, aye, captain!" he yelled.

"It's coming in for another attack!" Asuna shouted. I glanced at Kai, who nodded.

"Roar, fox!" I commanded of him. Kai took a deep breath, grinning. "Roar, and let this bastard know who to fear! Let it know that foxes triumph over all!" I could see his grin become vicious. Bloodthirsty. While Asuna was rolling her eyes, I had the desired effect on Kai.

 **"ROAAAAAAAAAAR!"** Kai howled, grabbing the attention of [Terazin]. It twisted in the air, immediately aiming to crush Kai. Hatred burned in its eyes. "C'mon you sack of metallic shit! Come at me!" Kai beat his sword against his shield, creating a metallic drumming sound. Then, all across the room, the sound echoed as the other [Tanks] repeated the action. **"ROOOOOAAAAAAAAAR!"** Kai let loose once more.

 **"ROOOOOOOOAAAAAAAR!"** echoed once more in the room, the other [Hopeful Foxes] returning the cry of their [Guild Master]. _**Wha-BAM!**_ The sound of [Terazin's] massive claws slamming into Kai's shield echoed throughout the chamber. Kai skidded back, but was growling as he held the [Boss] back.

"Now!" I shouted, leaping up onto [Terazin's] back. Asuna and MechManiC followed suit. Noire was pelting the beast with throwing knifes as the three of us began attacking. I started to hack at [Terazin's] left wing, and Assuna began impaling its right. It started to thrash, screeching loudly as I shoved harder against Kai's shield, finally breaking through and taking off into the sky once more. "Gotta make this quick!" I roared over the howling wind towards Asuna. MechManiC was making his way to the flying creature's head. I unleashed everything I had onto the metallic wing, completely slicing it off. It was messy, but the wing exploded into polygons. I watched as Asuna essentially drilled holes into the wing. As it tried to flap downwards, it couldn't take the stress of such an action and broke off, exploding as well. "Mech!"

"Gotcha dude! Hurrah!" With a swift motion, MechManiC slammed his mace deep into the beast's head, shifting it to direct the fall away from the others. It seemed like forever, but I dug my blade into its body, knowing Asuna had done the same. I may have screamed like a girl as we fell from the sky, before grunting, feeling the wind knocked out of me as we landed harshly onto the ground. Immediately, [Terazin the Rogue Metalloid] began to explode into colorful polygons. We all fell to the ground. Asuna and MechManiC on their feet, and myself on my stomach. I groaned, rolling over onto my back. I left my eyes closed for a few minutes as I heard the others cheering and celebrating. Upon opening them, I was met with the faces of Kai, Mech, Asuna, and Noire.

"Not bad, bud," Kai chuckled. "That was pretty smart. How'd you figure that would work?" I sighed and closed my eyes, suddenly exhausted. I hated taking charge, a habit of my first life, but if it was necessary than I would.

"I didn't," I replied. "I just guessed." Kai grinned widely. He grabbed my hand and yanked me up, making me grunt. "Ack, jackass," I grumbled, but I really didn't mind. I checked my [Menu], realizing I'd gone up two [Levels]. I smiled. I was now [Level] thirty-nine. I was interrupted from my musings from a commotion. I looked up, seeing a certain blonde pushing her way past the crowds, a worried expression on her face. "Lilly?" She slammed into me, sobbing as her arms wrapped around me. She was strong, for the frailty that she seemed to exude.

"You… you idiot!" she cried loudly. "How could you be so stupid!? You had only just healed before you went and threw yourself into danger once more!" I looked around, a bit taken aback. Kai was trying his hardest not to laugh, but Asuna looked a bit uncomfortable. To be honest, I was too. Still, I didn't want to push her away in front of everyone, especially if she was crying. "I was… worried about you," she finally whispered. Kai and Mech were both trying to run damage control, getting everyone to keep moving on. I appreciated that he was trying to get everyone out so we could deal with… whatever this was, in private. It took a few minutes, but finally it was just myself, Kai, Asuna, and Lilly. Hisao and Hanako had tried to stay, but Kai had managed to assure them that we'd join them afterwords. It wasn't long until Lilly finally released me. Her cheeks were a flaring red, and dried tears lined her cheeks. She stood straight, however, hands clasped in front of her as she prepared to face the music.

"Are you ok?" was the first thing I asked. She nodded wordlessly. Asuna beat me to the punch.

"Just what was that?" while she didn't sound angry, she certainly had a hardness in her voice that did not suggest happiness of any sort. "Well? I'd like an answer, now, please." Lilly turned to Asuna's voice, her eyes shut tightly.

"I apologize, Asuna," she replied in a soft voice. It was polite, quiet, and laced with a hint of fear. "But it appears that I've… inadvertently fallen for your boyfriend." Asuna grit her teeth, and her hands were clenched. She didn't want to make a scene, but she wasn't going to let this slide. "I apologize once more, but…" Lilly's eyes opened, and I could see her determination. "I deserve to be loved. And I will not stand idly by again. I will fight for his heart as hard as I possibly can." She took a deep breath before continuing. "I will indulge my selfishness. Please forgive me for doing so, but I will not let love slip from my fingers this time."

I groaned, slapping my hand against my forehead. "I've got too much of a headache to deal with some love triangle…" I grumbled, heating towards the staircase. "Asuna, don't murder the sit out of her. Lilly…" I paused, but didn't look back. "Please… Please don't do anything outrageously stupid." I allowed myself to ascend the stairs, leaving the three of them behind.

 **XXXXX**

 **[Floor Twenty-Eight] [Rechsole Town, Outer Alleyways] [March 21** **st** **, 2023] [10:40 PM] [Asuna]**

I tried to keep myself from scowling, though my arms were crossed as I waited for her. I couldn't believe I'd let her talk me into this, but it proved that she was going to actually be a problem. Still, I had my own honor to think about as a woman. I couldn't simply back down, now, it would make it look like I was afraid of losing him. While I knew that DaTa wouldn't blame me in the slightest, it was my own pride keeping me from telling the blonde off.

Somehow, she'd made the subtle suggestion that if I was so confident in how much DaTa loved me, then I would have no problem in allowing her a date with my boyfriend in order to give her a chance to sway his opinion. I had been outraged, and thoughtlessly stepped up to the challenge. He was mine, and no blonde bimbo of a woman could take him from me!

Still, that lingering doubt had growing in the back of my mind. I was by no means the ideal candidate for a long term relationship. I had far too many skeletons in my own closet, as well as an arranged marriage in the real world. Even if we made it through this game, DaTa and I would still have to face up against my mother and her own plans. As confident as he was in-game, I wasn't sure how he'd be in real life. People acted differently online then in person.

I was driven from my thoughts as I heard the soft clacking noise of heels walking on the cobblestone path. I looked up, instantly noticing the soft smile on Lilly's face as she approached me. She was dressed in a bright red gown that sparkled in the moonlight, and her hair was tied back with a velvety red bow. Her eyes were shut in eased concentration, and her hands cupped together in front of her. She looked relaxed, and sure of herself. It pissed me off.

"Well?" I growled, unable to keep myself from snapping at her. "Did you enjoy trying to butter up my boyfriend?"

"It was quite the enjoyable evening, in fact," her voice was laced with amusement, probably enjoying my irritation. "We took a stroll around the market, and sat down for a quite exquisite dinner. He insisted on paying the bill." While to most that would seem romantic, I knew DaTa well enough to know that he loved to pay for dinners. More often than not he'd shoulder the cost of everyone after a Council meeting at some restaurant after a particularly long meeting. Still, the thought of him paying for _her_ meal made my blood boil! "We spoke of many different topics. I was quite surprised to find that he's well educated on many subjects."

"Yeah, well, he's just special like that," I grumbled, not really able to disagree with her. "Well to me it sounds like he's just trying to be a buddy to you." She nodded, her smile wavering just a bit.

"So it seems," she replied. Her eyes opened, and I could see a sadness in them. I could tell she really had no hope in any of this working, but was pressing on through sheer stubbornness. In a lot of ways, it reminded me of myself. We stood in an awkward silence for a moment, neither of us meeting the other's gaze. "Asuna," she spoke up, breaking the tension. "What was it that attracted you to him?" Immediately I was on the defensive, but from what I saw of her expression, it wasn't meant to be insulting.

I took a moment to think before I answered. "I like his view on life," I finally told her, a curious expression appearing on her face from my answer. "He sees things in such a unique way. It's like he actually lives here. Like he loves this place." I pause, looking for the right words. "When I'm around him, I can feel everything. Everything seems so much more real. It's indescribable… I can barely tell the difference between here, and real life." I smiled a bit. "He's a puzzle as well. He always acts in similar ways to certain things, you just have to find it. Yet, at the same time, he's so unpredictable. He's mysterious, and I want to know more about him." I thought a little bit more about DaTa. "He's also very compassionate. He understands that I am who I am, and he doesn't look to change me to fit his perfect ideal woman. Sure, he tries pressing me to improve myself, but they're all things that I know I need to work on. He does it even if he knows he won't like it. He actually looks out for my wants and needs, making sure I can take care of myself, and not what he wants me to be." Lilly hummed thoughtfully, nodding once more.

"He is quite wise for such a young age," she added. I couldn't help but agree with her. "It's as if he has experiences that men could only dream of. His words are quite… inspirational, so to speak." She sighed, taking another step towards me. "He was the one to advise me to seek what my heart yearned for, even if it meant being selfish." Her eyes lingered on me. I felt my jealousy returning. "I apologize once more, Asuna. This wasn't what I had intended." Excuses. That's all her words were. "But I cannot deny that I've found his presence and his outlook on life to be quite enthralling. I would leap at the chance to be in your position."

"Yeah, well, you can't," I retorted, frowning at her. "I don't know if you got the memo or not, but he isn't interested in you."

"I beg to differ," she replied. I froze. "He told me tonight during dinner, that had he not met you, he would have been content on accepting my proposal." I could feel my anger starting to rise. I wasn't sure at who. Myself, for letting this stupid date happen. DaTa, for even saying such words. Or Lilly, for daring to interfere in my relationship, which had been going swimmingly until recently. I glared at the somewhat smug look on her face. A frown soon followed, however. "As enticing as it is to draw such emotions from you, I feel I must also state that mostly expressed heavy annoyance towards the both of us." She sighed gently. "It appears that he finds both of us... rather childish for doing this."

"It's annoying and boring, yes," a voice called out from above us. I looked up, spotting DaTa sitting lazily on the edge of the building, feet handing over the side. I felt my eye twitch. He noticed that. "Don't get me wrong, Asuna, I like the both of you. You both have interesting qualities about you to make you both unique. Any guy would be lucky to have either of you as a girlfriend. But hear me out one second." He pushed himself off the side of the roof, landing between us. "Imagine you're me. You've got a pretty good life. Not perfect, but you like it. Suddenly you're thrust into a death game and no way out. Taking life as it comes, you just go with it. Still, the stress of potentially dying at any moment from sheer luck and whim is hammering at you. A while after you start having some responsibilities as a leader for a [Guild]. Build that up to being suddenly thrust into a leadership position of the entire [Clearing Party], where dozens of lives lay in your hands and your ability to make sound decisions." With every word, his voice got louder and more agitated. If I wasn't already frustrated, it would have frightened me. "Add to that a girlfriend who is, while incredibly relaxing to have, also adding more pressure on you to act appropriately not only with her, but the people around her. Now, out of nowhere, she and some other girl who's also quite interesting start having some _stupid_ argument like petty schoolboys trying to have a dick measuring contest!" There was a scowl on his face. While Lilly seemed ashamed, I was furious. After all this, he was blaming me!?

"Well if you're so upset with me, then why don't you leave me!?" I yelled at him. No! I didn't mean that! I didn't want him to leave me! But everything was happening too fast, I couldn't stop the words before they left my mouth. "Just leave me alone!" I stormed off, trying to calm myself down. It felt great to say those words, but I knew I'd regretted them. I really didn't want him to leave me. I didn't want him to start dating Lilly. I didn't know what to think. But he was just so infuriating! He'd always been so understanding, and always seemed to be on my side. What changed? Why was he just now so against me? Just where did everything go so wrong?

 **XXXXX**

 **[DaTa]**

I sighed tiredly as I watched Asuna run off. To be honest, that was probably the best case scenario. Worst case would have been her officially breaking up with me, but it was thankfully only some shouting. However, I had a more immediate issue to deal with. I turned to Lilly, who wouldn't look me in the eyes.

"You know I can't date you, as interesting as it would be," I told her. She nodded slowly.

"I understand," was her whispered reply. "I apologize for causing you such an inconvenience."

"Don't be," I said. "This had to happen sooner or later. Better she sort through her feelings now, then further down the line when it would hurt even more." Lilly looked at me with surprise, probably from my lack of a distressed reaction.

"You planned for this?" she asked slowly, cautiously. I shrugged in response.

"Asuna… I think is unsure of why she wants me," I informed Lilly. "She loves me, of that I'm sure, but I'm not sure it's for the right reasons. What it looks like to me is a case of hero-worship. I saved her from a particularly bad spot, and now she's putting me on some pedestal. Like I'm her saving grace or something." I sighed. "This ought to shake her up a bit. Make her realize I'm not as… ideal as she wants to believe." Lilly's face morphed into a mix between angry and understanding.

"That's… rather cruel," she accused.

"I know," I admitted to her, slightly putting her off guard. "But It has to be done. I don't want her going further with this, then regretting it further down the line. It wouldn't be fair to either of us." I turned to face the blonde. "I'd suggest the same to you. Take a good long think about why you want to be with me, and what you'd be willing to give up to do so." I gave her a stern look. "As much as I would love to say the opposite, falling in love with me requires some bit of sacrifice." I walked past her, leaving her to her thoughts. That night I avoided Asuna's room, instead staying with MechManiC. I wanted Asuna to reflect over what had happened.

 **XXXXX**

 **[Floor Twenty-Eight] [Rechsole Town, Starry Sky Inn] [April 9** **th** **, 2023] [7:43 PM] [Asuna]**

"It's been quite a while since the last [Boss Raid] meeting," spoke my date. I tried to make my smile seem less forced. He didn't even notice it.

"It has," I replied. He took another bite of his salad. DaTa had hated salads. No, it wasn't the salad he hated. He just hated vegetables in general all on their own.

"I guess it's to be expected, what with Kai taking his time," XxHiro18xX complained. Most just called him Hiro, though. "He's been taking forever on vacation! I wish he'd finish up already and get everything moving again. We don't have forever, you know!" I nodded as he spoke. He had a few points. DaTa knew it was important to spend time with one's lover, though. He would be patient with Kai. He had been, with me. He was always patient. It was like he had all the time in the world.

"Aya's been brushed aside enough times as it is," I tried to defend them. "If he'd done it any more, she'd have left him."

"Like you left DaTa?" Hiro rolled his eyes and scoffed, not noticing my grimace. I regretted that decision, but I needed time away from him. It was like he'd once told me, distance only made the heart grow fonder. As much as I missed him, I knew this was good for us. Still, it hurt to know how quickly he had rebounded and started dating Lilly. He didn't even seem bothered by me telling him that we needed time apart. It made me angry, but he was almost never upset about what happened to him. I shouldn't have been surprised. My heart started to hurt, though. I felt the sinking feeling in my gut return. He looked so happy with her. So at ease.

"That was uncalled for," I told Hiro, trying to hide the emotional turmoil going on inside me. He didn't notice. DaTa would have noticed. He was always good at spotting those sorts of things.

"Sorry," was Hiro's reply, but he didn't seem to care. I sighed gently, picking at my food. Hiro was only here for comfort. A warm body to sleep beside at night, and the occasional stress relief. I hadn't even let him get close to me naked, but I let his hands touch me, as grabby and greedy as they were. I hadn't even let him see me naked. Nobody but DaTa was allowed to see me unclothed like that. Besides, his hands weren't even that good. While DaTa seemed to know what he was doing, Hiro was only in it to satiate his own lust. In a way, we both were fulfilling our own wants. I needed someone to keep my mind off of my hurt, and he wanted a girl he could grab and not really complain about it. I still felt sick after the relief, though.

"Hiro," I muttered softly, not looking him in the eyes. My heart was hurting again. I needed a distraction. He seemed to get the memo. He paid for the food, which was gentlemanly of him, and we headed upstairs. The door became locked, and our clothes came off. My gut hurt even more as we laid in bed. I felt his hands grabbing at me, touching me. I let him, trying to imagine he was DaTa. Trying to picture the man I loved touching me, like he'd done so many times before. Then he talked.

"You like that?" he whispered in what I assumed was an attempt at some sexy, husky voice. Any pleasure I had been feeling immediately faded.

"Don't talk," I told him. He immediately shut up. Maybe he thought I considered it intimate or romantic. I just didn't want to picture it was him and not DaTa. After what seemed like forever, the touching started to feel good. His fingers were penetrating me, forcing me to feel… something. Something better than the hurt I had been feeling earlier. I could feel my mind slipping away, like it had the night before. And the night before that. I felt my inhibitions start to slip away again. Somewhere, in the back of my mind, I knew it was some horny teenager touching me. Making me feel false pleasure. But I didn't care. As long as I didn't have to think about what I'd done, I could let myself feel pleasure. I tried not to think about the lewd sounds leaving my lips for what was essentially a stranger. I tried not to think about how many times I'd felt my release over his fingers. But that night I just wasn't strong enough, and I lost myself to the pleasure he gave me.

 **XXXXX**

 **[DaTa]**

I sat up in bed, reading the book in my hands. Beside me sat my blonde girlfriend, though calling her that was still a bit odd. At best, she was keeping me company until Asuna decided to return to me, if such an event ever happened. I was there to give Lilly some comfort, and grow stronger. Together, we became lovers of sorts. It was hard not to, not with her obvious affection for me and the different experience she gave me compared to Asuna. While it was similar, relaxing with Asuna was quite different than with Lilly.

First off, Lilly seemed quite adamant on doing things herself, despite my offering to help her. Hisao had informed me that she was quite independent in the real world before the game, so I figured that she wanted to do as much as she possibly could before returning to such a limited world.

Secondly, Lilly's idea of relaxation was quite different from Asuna's. While Asuna like to be more proactive and go places, Lilly was content on sitting at home with a cup of tea, and reading. Normally, we would also listen to soft music as we read. She'd also gotten into the habit of asking me to read before bed. While I felt a bit silly reading a woman older than me bedtime stories, she really seemed to like them.

Intimacy was a touchy subject, however. While we'd gotten so far as light petting, not much more had proceeded from it. I was still certain that Asuna would sort out her thoughts and return to me with her answer. I didn't want to betray her trust if she decided to return to me. Still, I'd been hearing from Noire that she'd taken up another boyfriend, though her enthusiasm behind it was rather… lack-luster. Noire had respected my decision at first, but as soon as I'd gotten close to Lilly, she became rather hostile. A friend lost, she had put it.

"Ah… DaTa?" Lilly spoke up, glancing over at me. I lowered my novel, looking her back in the eyes. Her cloudy blue orbs were filled with uncertainty. "What will happen if… Asuna does not share the same feelings she once had?" I could see this question coming. She'd been trying to bring it up a few times, but had dropped it suddenly. She seemed to have worked up the nerve.

"Then I'll go on as a solo player," I replied simply, watching the frown cross her face. She was disappointed. "Don't get me wrong, I'd love to be with you. Well, that's a bit too strong a phrase. It would be nice, but I'd feel…" I sighed. "Guilty. That I'd bounced right from Asuna to you." She seemed to understand that. While the frown still remained, I could see the pressure being lifted from her shoulders. I resumed reading in silence. It was only moments later, however, when I felt Lilly's hand rest on mine, pushing them both down onto the bed. Her fingers traced my hand, as if memorizing every inch. Her eyes were shut, and her book was closed neatly on her lap.

"DaTa?" she asked softly.

"Hm?"

"May I… touch your face?" she requested. From anyone else, it would be a rather weird question. But for someone blind…

"But you can see it," I pointed out, making her giggle a bit.

"Even still, it is the way I'm used to… 'seeing' others," she replied. I sighed, relenting. I squeezed her hand gently, allowing her to raise her hands to my face. My instincts were screaming at me to stop her. Bat her hands away. I shook them off, certain that she wasn't about to try and snap my neck or do something to kill me. This wasn't a shinobi world.

I have to say, it's strange, feeling two soft, fragile hands brushing across your face. Tracing every crease, memorizing the sensation of you. Who you were. Who you are. And how you got there. Yet it was strangely intimate. Something that I knew was the pinnacle of friendly intimacy for Lilly. And it felt… relaxing. It took her quite a while, but finally I felt her hands leave my face. I kinda missed the feeling.

"You're quite handsome," she told me. I had to laugh. I watched her face scrunch up in slight annoyance.

"You've seen me how many times, and just say that now?" I pointed out to her. After a moment's thought, she let out a soft laughter lasting only a few seconds.

"My, my… someone's quite picky," she teased me. "I'll have you know, that while the gift of sight is quite a miracle for me, I will always appreciate my own way of seeing, in a manner of speaking." I shrugged, getting what she was saying.

"Eh, I get it," I replied to her, getting a soft smile. I sighed softly, laying back in bed. "I hope Asuna is doing alright…"

"It's quite rude to mention another woman in the presence of your girlfriend, DaTa," Lilly chided me. "But yes, I understand your point… I'm sure she's handling this entire situation in a decent and proper manner. I hope she hasn't gotten herself into trouble."

 **XXXXX**

 **[Asuna]**

"F-Fuck!" I cried out, burying my face into the pillow, gripping the sheets underneath me as the boy's fingers buried deeper inside of me. "H-H-Huuuuuuuuh!" I couldn't stop the moans, not that I really could. This feeling was addicting. I knew what I was doing was betraying DaTa's trust, but it hurt too much. I could still feel the welling in my gut, letting me know how much it hurt to be away from him. But this feeling was slowly eroding it. I was starting to forget. The scary part was, I wanted to. I wanted to forget about DaTa. I wanted to forget about this game. I just wanted to be home, in bed, experiencing this pleasure the entire time. No worries. No stresses. Just… this. I whimpered, feeling his fingers hit my tender spot again. I came. I screamed. And it felt… better.

"Yeah, that's good," Hiro grumbled. My eyes flew open and I scrambled away from him, pushing myself off the bed. I threw my pillow at him, furious.

"Get out!" I screamed.

"What the hell!?" he shouted back, standing up. I equipped everything, feeling the tears coming. "Are you crazy!?"

"Get the fuck out of my room!" I screamed in return, drawing [Lambent Light +5]. I pointed the blade at him. While he wouldn't take damage in a [Safe Zone], it would still hurt like a bitch. "GET OUT!"

"You're fucking insane!" he yelled back, putting his clothes on and rushing out of my room. As soon as the door slammed shut, the tears started to fall. I screamed in agony, trying to forget the shame I was feeling. I'd let some horny stranger _touch_ me with his dirty hands, and had enjoyed it! I was such an idiot! I fell into bed, crying. How could I be so stupid!? I screamed into my pillow, trying to sort the jumble of stupidity going through my head. I just laid there for a good hour, trying to think of what to do next. No, I knew what I had to do. I was just too afraid to do it.

I finally gathered the courage to get up and leave my room. I [PM'd] Hisao, asking where DaTa wand Lilly were staying. I… had some explaining to do. I instantly got a reply. They were staying at the [Bell Tower Suite], a fancy hotel only found on this floor. It was expensive, but rooming was permanent until the end of the game. Of course DaTa would stay there. He hated flaunting his [Col] around, but he loved using it. Somehow his [Mega-Col] had only increased in number.

I looked at the floor and room, and immediately made my way there. I took my time, though. I was in no rush. Still, I found myself in front of his door all too soon. I hesitated. Maybe he'd already moved on… Maybe he and Lilly were happy now, and I'd only be intruding…

No! I had to do this! I knocked on the door before I could think. There was nothing for a good minute, before it opened. In front of me stood the man I loved more than any other, dressed in a white shirt and long white sweatpants. His hair was neatly groomed, tied back in a small tail. He stood just shorter than me, but that didn't matter in the slightest. His eyes sparkled with quiet joy upon seeing me. I felt sick and ashamed.

"Asuna," he spoke my name, and I couldn't bear it. Before I could run, though, he pulled me into the room and shut the door. He knew me too well. "Please, make yourself at home." Shakily, I sat down at the small dinner table in front of me. I barely took in the lushness of the room, trying to calm myself before I made an idiot of myself.

"DaTa, is it Asuna?" I heard Lilly's voice coming from another room. The bedroom. My heartbeat quickened. I could feel my lungs trying to escape through my mouth. I was suffocating! She entered the room, dressed only in a pair of DaTa's sweatpants and a rather generously filled bra. God, did I interrupt them!? "Ah, hello, Asuna." She seemed so at ease, with the stupid smug smile of hers! They'd had sex, hadn't they!?

"Asuna," DaTa's firm voice broke me out of my thoughts. It was firm. Hard. Commanding. It was the same voice he'd used when training me. When I knew everything would be alright. When things were simpler. I looked up at him, and immediately regretted it. I thought he'd have a stern face on. He'd be disappointed in me somehow. But instead, his eyes were filled with love and adoration.

"I let someone else touch me!" I burst. I couldn't keep it from him. I couldn't bear to hold it in and hide it from him. I expected anger. I wanted him to be angry. I wanted him to scream, shout, anything!

"I know," was all he said. I wanted to cry. Because he was still looking at me with those eyes. Those happy eyes that spoke volumes about what he felt for me.

"Hate me!" I screamed. "Be angry at me! Do _something_!" He shook his head, his eyes now betraying some sadness. Maybe now he realized how awful I was. "I betrayed your trust," I continued. "I made a mockery of something sacred. Something special. I-"

 _Smack!_ I sat there, stunned. I looked at DaTa, who looked just as shocked as I did. He was looking at Lilly, who was fiercely glaring at me, her hand outstretched. Without a word, her hand returned to her side. Her lip was quivering.

"You don't deserve him," Lilly spoke harshly. I suddenly felt… angry that she'd said those words, even though I knew they were true. "Here he is, giving you chance upon chance to return to the way things were, and you simply refuse over and over." Her voice was shaking. "You should be ashamed of yourself. He couldn't care less what you have done, but to be so foolish as to-" She cut herself off, turning away and heading back to the bedroom. I watched her in stunned silence. It was a few minutes before either DaTa or I moved or spoke.

"I just want you to come back to me…" DaTa whispered, looking down at me. He had a distant look on his face, as if he wasn't really looking at me. "You will, won't you…?" He was… asking me to be with him again… Even after everything I did… After essentially spitting on his face… He still wanted me?

"I-I…" I couldn't find the words I wanted to say. Yes! Yes, dammit! I want you back in my life! I can't imagine being without you! And yet… Lilly hadn't even come close to hurting him… She was much better suited to be with him. But _I_ want him! He's _mine_! "I want you… but… Lilly…" He gained a contemplative look on his face, before taking my hand. He helped me up and led me to the bedroom, pushing me in before closing the door. I froze, only able to stare at Lilly, who was sitting on the rather fancy bed. She was sitting stiffly, probably knowing exactly what DaTa was trying to do.

"So it's come to this," Lilly sighed, seeming just as excited about trying to figure something out as I was. "I can't say that I did not expect this. DaTa seems to be the type of person to eliminate problems as quickly and efficiently as he can." Her practiced smile returned to her face. "He reminds me of my father in that regard." I nervously shuffled to the desk not far from the bed, sitting back in the ornately decorated wooden chair. I didn't really know what to say. Lilly let out a hollow laugh. "My, my, it seems almost as if I'm speaking to myself. I'm afraid this is quite awkward for myself as well, if you don't respond."

"How are you so calm?" I asked her, bewildered. After an outburst like that, and this whole thing, she was still reserved like this. How!?

"I've simply come to accept that whatever happens, will happen," she explained herself. "At this point, I feel it is safe to say that only one of us can leave this room happy and satisfied." Lilly let out another sigh. "How cruel fate seems to be. Do I pursue my own selfishness, and condemn an innocent girl to unhappiness, or do I give in and experience said unhappiness for myself?"

"You've really put us in a hard place," I told her, feeling myself pout. Lilly's eyes opened, just slightly. A sorrowful smile graced her face.

"I have been a burden," she told me. "For that, I apologize. However, you of all people must understand how hard it is for me to simply stand up and leave." I nodded in response. "I'm afraid I truly wish for him for myself, as I'm sure you feel the same."

"I do," I replied, staring her down. There was an uneasy silence between us. While I didn't like her for trying to steal DaTa away, I had to admit that she was a very polite and nice woman. I'd feel bad just shoving her out and saying 'get lost'.

"I'm alike in mind with DaTa," she finally spoke. "I'm quite simply tired of worrying about who he will choose, between the two of us. He's irritatingly open-minded, making no move to favor either of us."

"I know, right?" I agreed. "He really expects us to figure this out by ourselves, it's annoying! We have no idea where to start!" Lilly's smile became a touch more genuine.

"I concur," was her reply. "There doesn't seem to be a way that we both can be happy." I thought for a moment.

"We could… share him," I suggested slowly. Lilly's calm expression broke as she tried to process my words.

"I'm… sorry?" she asked slowly. "I believe I misheard you. Did you suggest… sharing DaTa?" I nodded. "I see… While it would eliminate a few of our issues… I'm afraid it would raise many more."

"I really want him all for myself, but I'm not willing to risk losing him. He could go either way, and I think this will satisfy us both in the long run," I pressed the idea. While I didn't really like it, it began growing on me the more I spoke of it. "Maybe… it would be best to figure out specifics as we go along." Lilly was silent for a moment. I could tell she was still trying to think on the pros and cons of my idea. To be honest, I was doing the same. But what was most important to me was that I'd get DaTa as my boyfriend again. While it wouldn't be just with me, I could accept that as long as it was him. I needed him, but not to such an obsessive degree that I had to have his attention all day, every day. I needed my moments to myself as well.

"I will… agree to this idea of yours," she started off. "But let it be known that I'm not confident in it." I nodded in agreement, standing. I took her hand, gingerly, and we both walked out of the room. DaTa was sitting at the dining room table, reading his book. To most he would seem at ease, but I could see the tenseness in his body.

"We've come to a decision," I told him, making him look up at us. He looked tired. "We've decided to… both be your girlfriends." I expected him to relax. To seem happy.

"No," he replied, standing. I was in shock for a moment.

"W-What?" I stammered.

"I said no. I'm not…" his expressions shifted between emotions so fast that I couldn't pick one out. "It's not happening. I'm not going to try and…" He was fighting with himself, I realized.

"Please, DaTa," Lilly spoke up. "It must seem rather perplexing, but this is what we've decided."

"I don't care!" he shouted, reaching up to grab his hair. His face morphed into one of slight panic. "It… no, it's not going to work, I know it!" He was hysterical. His face… almost looked like Kai's when he, Aya and I had all had dinner some time ago. Frantic. But angry. Almost feral and out of control.

"DaTa!" I shouted, making him stop. He looked at me as if I were a wild animal. Lilly immediately stepped forward and embraced him, not even giving him time to react. I did the same, although a bit slower. Both of us held him, and I could feel him shaking. After a moment his shaking stopped. After two moments, he spoke.

"Sorry, that you had to see me like that," he told us. I let him go, as did Lilly. His face was red, and tears were pooling up in his eyes. "Just some bad memories, is all." He laughed bitterly. Nobody spoke for a minute. Lilly and I were both waiting for him to speak, and he looked like he was trying to find the right words. "I… haven't been completely honest with you girls," he finally said. My heart skipped a beat. Was he… seeing someone else as well? "I'm not exactly who you think I am." He looked us both in the eyes. "Before I go on… I want both of you to look me in the eyes and tell me that you want to stay with me. That you want to be my girlfriends, and you won't give up on me."

I was about to speak, but he cast us a sharp glare. There was more to his request then he was saying. He was asking if he could trust us completely, and in turn, that we trust him without question. No more doubts. No more worries. Not between us, anyway. No more walls.

"I promise you, DaTa," Lilly spoke aloud before me. "I'm quite smitten with you. You'd be hard pressed to push me away, even after an… episode like that." A soft smile graced her lips. "Believe it or not, I'm not unused to seeing such breakdowns." With PaperGirl18 as a friend? I didn't doubt her. Their eyes were resting on me, now.

"Me too," I promised. "I wouldn't want anyone else to be with me." Lilly and I shared a glance before DaTa spoke.

"Since I know both of your names, you should know mine," he announced. "I've gone by many names, but these days I'm known as Suzuki Keito." He paused. "But that isn't what you need to know. What's important is that I'm a distant reincarnation of a dear friend of ours, TheKaiSenpai. I've lived through multiple lives. I've been married three times, and have had several children. I died first in a cave, alone and hungry. I died secondly at the hands of my best friends. I officially died a third time at a lovely old age. Now, here I am, living as a young man names Suzuki Keito." My eyes were wide with shock. He was…

"That's absolutely ridiculous," Lilly stated firmly. I had to agree with her. DaTa, or Keito as he called himself, was a reincarnation of Kai? IT was completely insane! But the more I thought about it, the more sense it made. How Keito would make obscure jokes about past friends and quickly move away from the subjects. How he'd have intimate knowledge of things already forgotten, and obscure that no guy his age should know, but would make perfect sense if Kai knew them.

"I assure you, that I'm not lying," his face was set in stone. Even if he was crazy, he absolutely believed his delusions. Still, we did just promise to trust him no matter what. That, and he would gain nothing by lying about this. Could it really be true?

"If you really are some kind of reincarnation…" I asked slowly, "how come you didn't warn Kai not to start playing this game? Or anyone, really?"

"Would you believe a fifteen-year-old kid if he told you that playing this game would leave you trapped in a cycle of death?" he asked with a completely straight face. Hearing it aloud, it did seem silly. "You two and my parents are the only ones who know of this," he told us. "Kai knows that I'm… reincarnated, but he doesn't know I'm him. I'd like to keep it that way."

"Why?" Lilly asked. Despite her calm demeanor, her fists were clenched. "Why keep this from us until now?"

"Because I needed to be sure I could trust you both," Keito defended himself. "I'm sorry, but until now… both of you I considered flight risks. You didn't really need me around. To be honest, you two still don't need me." My heart sunk as I could see where this was going. "I could have died at any moment, and neither of you would be… too terribly affected for the rest of your lives. You would grieve, move on, and I would be forgotten."

"That isn't true!" I protested, grabbing his right hand in mine. "I love you with all my heart, Da-Keito… Don't you ever doubt that. Reincarnation or not, I'm right here because I love you. Right, Lilly?" I looked over at the blonde, who was looking at the floor with half lidded eyes. She let out a sigh, taking Keito's other hand in her own.

"Fool or not, I suppose it does not matter now," she spoke. "As I said before, you've caught my heart. Whether what you speak of is truth or not, it does not matter to me. You will always be Keito in my eyes, just as I hope to always be Lilly, in yours." A light, true smile began to form on my boyfriend's face. He leaned forward, giving me a light kiss before giving Lilly one. While I felt a pang of jealousy echo in my heart, it wasn't as bad as I'd thought it'd be. Maybe, just maybe, this could work.

 **XXXXX**

 **A/N: Chapter done! Oh wow, I hit a few roadblocks here and there trying to keep everyone in character, and all the reactions realistic. I realize in the last scene that it throws realism a bit of a far stick, but I tried my best. Everyone has very stubborn and defined personalities, one of them had to break. I just wasn't sure who would, first.**

 **Also, in the case of Asuna finding what basically equates to a fucktoy, here's my logic on this. She has never had any real romantic experience before Keito. Being with him is basically the best thing for her in the world, and she gets lost in it. So much so that, as soon as things start to fall apart, she panics. She wants to keep everything the way they were, but life doesn't work out like that. So she snaps. She yells at Keito and pushes him away, thinking it'll make her feel better, but knowing it'll only make things worse. Now she blames herself, and falls into depression. That angry feeling in her gut is telling her that she deserves to be unhappy because she messed everything up. So she finds something to try and make that feeling go away. And let's face it, that's pretty damn hard. I had a friend that was like that, and she turned to sex and alcohol. She still does. If you're lucky, you can do what Asuna did in the end and wake up and try to make things better for yourself. Or if you're not determined enough, you might end up like my friend did and continue that self-destructive lifestyle. So here's a shout out to her, in hopes that someday she snaps out of her funk and starts living a happier, healthier life.**


	6. Chapter 6: The Invincible Hero

TheKaiSenpai doesn't own SAO or anything else used here, and this is just something he does when he's bored.

 **XXXXX**

 **Chapter Six: The Invincible Hero**

 **[Floor Twenty-Eight] [Rechsole, Bell Tower Suite] [May 4** **th** **, 2023] [8:11 PM] [DaTa]**

"Huwaaaah," Asuna yawned, stretching as I opened the door for her. "That was exhausting! Who would have thought that the [Field Boss] would take so much [Damage]? It's a goddamn flower!" I rolled my eyes and smiled, entering the apartment after her. I closed the door behind us, hearing the sound of pots and pans being moved in the kitchen. The hotel had pretty much become an apartment for the three of us; Asuna, Lilly, and myself. Lilly had decided to merely [Power-Level] her [Sprint] and [Acrobatics] [Skills], as well as household [Skills] like [Tailoring] and [Cooking] to catch up with Asuna and I. She'd mostly stayed behind to play the part of the housewife, while Asuna had developed into more of a warmaiden.

"Well, flowers can be pretty tough," I told her, [Unequipping] my things and dressing in my sweatpants and t-shirt. "You ever seen flowers during a typhoon? They're pretty adamant." Asuna grumbled.

"It's still stupid," she replied. I chuckled once more, walking to the kitchen as Asuna [Unequipped] her armor and weapon, dressing in jean shorts and a sleeveless yellow shirt with green frills on the edges of the shoulder straps.

"Good evening, Lilly," I called to the blonde preparing dinner in the kitchen. She turned around, a gentle smile on her face.

"Welcome home, Keito," she replied, giving me a shallow bow of acknowledgement. It wasn't really necessary; it was kind of nice. "I'm making kaiseki ryori, or at least what I can manage from in-game ingredients." She seemed slightly annoyed by the fact that the flavors in the game were just a little bit off from what real life held. Lilly turned back to the kitchen counter as she tried to figure out how best to put the food together to give them a similar taste to the traditional Japanese dish. I smiled, though, and wrapped my arms around her, making her jump slightly before leaning back in my arms.

"Relax," I told her, kissing her cheek afterwards. "You'll figure it out. And if not, Asuna can help you." I inwardly grimaced, noticing her smile waver a bit at the mention of Asuna. Despite the two of them getting along now, for the most part, there was still a bit of an ongoing rivalry between them for my affections. I didn't expect them to instantly start out as best friends, but it was a constant cloud hanging above us. I figured it would take time, though. After a while, it would simply become a fact of our lives, and wouldn't interfere so much.

"Yes…" Lilly let out a soft sigh, the unease in her slowly slipping away as I gave her a gentle kiss. "In fact… Asuna, would you please come here and assist me with dinner?"

"Geez, thought you'd never ask," I heard from behind me. I let Lilly go and stood aside, giving Asuna space in the kitchen. Asuna had taken to sharing me better than Lilly. Either that, or she hid it better. Still, Asuna did what she could to get things sorted out between all of us. We'd all agreed that it wouldn't be a triangle. Lilly and Asuna had no interest in being romantically involved with one another. Their sole interests were on me.

I watched calmly as Asuna began re-explaining how to make a few different flavored sauces from local plants that tasted similar, if not spot on, to sauces in the real world. She was much better at improvising her cooking, while Lilly seemed to prefer a more traditional approach. It was fun to watch them interact, with Asuna's boldness and more active approach, coupled with Lilly's calmer, yet just as strong mindset. I frowned as I heard a light ringing sound, notifying me of a [PM]. I opened my[PMs], spotting the one just sent from Kai. I sighed softly, opening it. We'd only just seen one another, so this must be important.

[Hey DaTa,] it started, [I've been hoping to talk to you with a few other people. We both want to, actually. Hisao's got a few choice words about your… relationship. Well, I think PaperGirl18 does, but she's probably talking through Hisao. Anyway, meet me at the restaurant beside your hotel in a few minutes. We'll meet ya there.] I sighed, watching as the two girls I loved cooked dinner.

"Girls," I spoke aloud, getting both of them to turn their heads to me. I smiled. "I'm going to head out for a bit. Kai wants to meet with me. I'll be back for dinner though, alright?" Lilly's face seemed to fall into slight sadness, and Asuna's glare was not hidden.

"But he just saw you!" Asuna protested, placing her hands on her hips. "What could be so important that he'd call you out again?" Lilly had returned to cooking, and I motioned my head towards her. I mouthed _Hisao_ to her, making her sigh. "Fine, whatever. You better get back here to eat though or I'll drag you back."

"Yes, ma'am!" I gave her a mock salute, taking off to the meeting place. I [Equipped] my outfit as I ran, making it there in only a few minutes. Hisao and Kai were waiting for me. Hisao had a soft frown on his face, while Kai's grin was back and better than ever, since the [Boss Raid].

"The man of the hour!" Kai exclaimed, his smile widening. He stood, shaking my hand before seating me at the table. "Excuse me, miss?" he called to the waitress tending a nearby table. "When you get the chance, grab this guy a nice 'ol frosty mug of beer!" He raised his own, as if showing her what he wanted to get me. The [NPC] smiled and nodded. Kai's attention then returned to me. His eyes narrowed, a predatory grin marred his face. "So, bud, I hear ya got two lovely lassies in your lap, now!" he grinned, like a tiger sizing up his prey. His fist flew in front of my face. "Well done my good man! Truly, yours is the epitome of manliness! All hail the King of Masculinity!" Where those tears falling from his face!? No, it was just my overactive imagination. Ugh, he drew me into his own little world, his enthusiasm is so intoxicating. I bumped his fist anyway.

"About that…" Hisao spoke up, obviously a bit uncomfortable with how Kai was acting. His eyes were firmly set on me. "I'll just let you know, that if you _ever_ hurt Lilly, I'll-"

"Hisao, you aren't threatening," I pointed out. "Please don't try." He sighed, exasperated. "I'm not going to hurt Lilly or Asuna. Not… not on purpose, anyway." I smiled and nodded towards the [NPC] waitress when she set down the alcoholic beverage in front of me. The drink would give you a drunken-like state when consumed en masse. I would be better off with just this one. Kai seemed to have been drinking for a while, considering the six mugs in front of him. I took a sip of my drink, enjoying the, personally, refreshing taste and feel of the heavy beverage. It had been a long time since my last drink. I set it down after a few sips. "If that's all, I'll be returning to my room for dinner." I looked them both over. Kai's eyes were a bit glazed over, but a hint of sharpness returned to them.

"Don't do anything stupid, mate," Kai grumbled, looking me dead in the eyes. "They're still women. They'll still break you if you let them. Don't let them control you, and don't trust them further than you can toss 'em." The playful glint appeared in his eyes once more. "But don't let it keep you from having fun, eh? Go knock 'em up, mate!" He paused. "Err… not really. Fuck it, I'm tired. Piss off." I chuckled and patted his back as I stood. I glanced at Hisao.

"And Hisao." He looked up at me. I sighed, giving him a comforting glance. "Take care of Hanako. Lilly's been worried about her." I paused. "It might be best if you guys pulled away from the front lines for a while." The boy nodded slowly, a solemn expression crossing his face. "Goodnight," I left with those words, heading back to my room.

When I arrived, Asuna was setting food onto the table. It was a rather large meal, consisting of a stew of some sort, several types of what I assumed to be sushi, and Lilly's kaiseki ryori. Lilly must have still been in the kitchen, but Asuna spotted me. She smiled, clapping her hands together lightly.

"Welcome home, Keito!" she called to me. I chuckled, changing back to my home clothes as I walked towards the table. "Did Kai say what he wanted to that was so important?"

"He was drunk," I told her, making her face sour a bit. "It was fine, though. He's really gotten his groove back, so I'm happy for him." Asuna nodded, sitting at one side of the table.

"Lilly, hurry up! Keito's home!" Asuna shouted into the kitchen. I peered into the room Lilly was in, and she was carrying several glasses in her arms. As well as a bottle of wine.

"Be patient, Asuna," she chided the auburn. Lilly set the glasses down on the table at both sides of the table, and at its head. I chuckled, sitting at the head of the table, as Lilly sat down opposite of Asuna. "Honestly, in such a rush. The food will not cool, and the night will not suddenly disappear." I smiled and took both of their hands, giving them both a light squeeze.

"Well, shall we eat?" I asked, unable to contain my smile. The three things I loved the most were in front of me. Asuna, Lilly, and their cooking. How could I _not_ be overjoyed? They both nodded, and we began our meal. Like all of the ones before them, it was magnificent. Yet behind my joy, I couldn't stop the lingering doubts of this entire relationship. I was afraid their jealousy would cause things to crumble. Only time would tell.

 **XXXXX**

 **[Floor Twenty-Seven] [Crystal Caves Labyrinth] [June 22** **nd** **, 2023] [4:50 PM] [TheKaiSenpai]**

I chuckled, swinging my blade through another [Perturbed Gargoyle]. It was another few days until the [Boss Raid] meeting, and DaTa had suggested that a few of us blow off some steam beforehand. MechManiC, DaTa, Asuna, Hisao, and myself were just making quick runs through the different floors, allowing the game to be just that, a game. Against the five of us, all at around [Level] fifty-two, none of the [Mobs] really stood a chance. In fact, I was pretty close to gaining a [Level]. I grinned as I heard MechManiC and DaTa speaking together.

"Ya know," DaTa muttered before slicing his blade through four unsuspecting [Stone Golems], "I think we should start calling Kirito back to the front lines. He's been gone for quite a while."

"Hurrrah!" MechManiC grunted, pounding a [Angry Miner] into dust. "You sure? He's kind of a dick to everyone, dude."

"Dick or not, he was useful," I sighed, blocking an attack. "I agree, we should bring him back. At this point he's just slacking off, not taking a vacation." Asuna scoffed.

"Really? Kirito's the definition of lazy asshole," she retorted. I shrugged.

"That's fair," I replied. Hisao seemed a bit confused.

"Who's Kirito?" he asked. The rest of us laughed. "What? What's so funny?"

"Kirito's… a very special case among the [Clearers]," DaTa spoke carefully. "He's one of the most unbearable assholes you'll ever meet, but damned if he isn't good at the game. Kai and I could probably fight him to a standstill, but Mech and Asuna would have some trouble."

"As insulting as that is," Asuna grumbled, "he isn't wrong. Kirito's biggest strength is his reaction speed. It's like he just loses focus on everything around him, and acts on instinct. Direct fighting, or going against him without a strong defense is pretty much suicide." Hisao seemed to think about that for a moment before continuing. Our assault lasted for about a half hour before we came upon a familiar sight.

"Oh look, a single chest in an empty room," Kirito spoke to the people around him. Some kid with a yellow beanie was already running into the trapped room. No… "Even _we're_ not stupid enough to fall for that, right-"

"Hey, it's empty!" called from inside the room. Fucking idiot! I rushed into the room after them before the door shut behind me. I growled, surprising everyone in the room.

"Kai!" Kirito shouted as the room turned red and alarms started blaring. [Stone Golems] and [Angry Miners] began [Spawning] in the room. A [Monster Room]. My eye twitched. "Kai, I can explain!"

"Shut up, kid!" I roared, pounding my sword against my shield, grabbing the attention of most of the [Mobs] in the room. "You just focus on killing these fuckers!" I took a deep breath and let it all out in a primal scream. I was pissed off. First Kirito leaves for God knows how long, then I suddenly find him leading these underprepared kids to their deaths in a high [Level] [Dungeon]!? **"ROOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAR!"**

"Is that really 'The Laughing Fox'?" one of them asked.

"Not right now, Tetsuo!" Kirito shouted as the ambush began. "C'mon! I didn't train you to be quitters! Kick some ass so we can get out of here!" I roared and slashed through the incoming [Mobs] like butter. Not one of them would harm the kids behind me!

"Agh!" I heard a scream, and the shattering of polygons. Fuck! My eye twitched, and my blade glowed a fiery orange. Slicing faster than the eye could see, I ripped through the [Mobs] ahead of and beside me.

"Wha-Why!?" another scream, another burst. These fuckers could wait. I turned around, rushing towards the sound where the screaming was coming from. I hacked and slashed madly, hoping to save at least one of them.

"Sachi! No!" Kirito cried out. He sounded genuinely afraid, a first. I saw the arm come down on the raven haired girl, who was blocking another attack, unawares of the danger behind her. I snapped. No! No more deaths! No more misery! Kayaba had taken too many lives today!

 **"RRRROOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAARRR!"** My [Howl] was so loud, the entire room shook. But I didn't care. All that mattered was that this girl survived. No matter what. She was important to Kirito. Even if he was unbearable, and nasty, and completely idiotic, he cared for this girl. He cared for someone other than himself, and I wouldn't let him lose her. _**Sha-BAM!**_ The sound of my shield blocking the attack meant for her made the room shudder. It was a hollow, metal sound that made me stumble from my unready stance. But I kept my foothold and pushed the [Stone Golem] back, immediately killing it. I glanced back at the girl. "You ok, kid?" I asked her. She shuddered, nodding to me. My eyes narrowed, noticing that every [Mob] was focused on me, now. I grabbed the girl and tossed her over the line of enemies that had surrounded us. "Now get the fuck out of here!" I shouted to both her and Kirito. I stared down every hateful enemy. They would pay for their transgressions with their lives. I was severely outnumbered. I was tired from fighting through every floor for the last few days. I was at a disadvantage. Just the way I liked it. My expression turned to one of aggression and bloodlust. And I let out all of my stresses. My hatred. I let everything loose.

 **XXXXX**

 **[Asuna]**

We stood outside the doors, waiting patiently for them to open. While I wasn't worried about Kirito or Kai, the thought of [Underlevelled] players being in a [Dungeon] like this had me on edge. What was Kirito thinking, bringing them here!? I finally caught my breath as the doors opened, Kirito stumbling out with a crying girl.

"H-Hey… it's ok, Sachi… we made it out…" he whispered to her. Inside, Kai was walking towards the door with an angry expression on his face. He was glaring at Kirito. "I'm sorry… I'm so sorry about…" Kirito… was crying?

"You _**IDIOT!**_ " Kai bellowed with rage I'd never seen on him before. It kind of scared me. "You killed innocent lives today! For what, a little treasure!?"

"I didn't mean to!" Kirito shouted back. He seemed terrified of Kai. I didn't blame him. Kai was like an angry parent right now. What person our age _wouldn't_ be a little scared of him? "I thought they would be fine, and they wanted to come here! I told them not to but does anyone listen to me? No!" Kai kicked Kirito, sending him flying against the opposite wall. His eye was twitching, but I could see he was beginning to calm down.

"You're no longer one of the [Clearers]," Kai spoke in a firm tone. "You are not welcome on the front lines. Now get out of my sight." Kirito scrambled away, but not before grabbing the girl's hand. Keito sighed, glancing at Kai.

"That was a bit rough, Kai," he told the man. "I understand you, but that was a bit more than necessary." Kai crossed his arms and remained silent. It looked like he was trying to reign in his temper. Keito turned to the rest of us. "Let's get going. I've lost my spirit to keep moving forward, here." We all agreed. We all pulled [Teleport Crystals] from our [Inventories].

"Teleport, [Sharbon]."

 **XXXXX**

 **[Floor Seventy] [Sherwood Town, Black Forest Inn] [August 17** **th** **, 2024] [5:32 AM] [DaTa]**

I smiled, wrapping my arms around the two beautiful women on either side of me. Both of their heads laid against my shoulders, their breathing soft and gentle. They were asleep, and I didn't really blame them. After all, tonight was a milestone for us. A first time for us. Connecting as one. I chuckled at the thought, causing Lilly, who was on my left side, to mumble in her sleep, wrapping her arms tighter around me. She was pretty clingy when she slept. Asuna, on the other hand, tended to move around in her sleep. It wasn't a rare time in which I'd find myself being hit by Asuna's tossing and turning. While it was a little annoying, it was kind of cute in her own way.

As I laid back, a little bit tired from the night's activities, I reminisced on how I'd gotten this far. Well, I'd joined this game on a whim, hoping to have a bit of fun with it. I'd accidentally met Asuna, and had taken her under my wing. Things happened, and I found myself falling for her, and her for me. After a while, though, we'd separated for a bit, before I came back to her. We'd managed to work things out very well, then Lilly appeared. We had a slump, but everything worked out. They still competed with one another for my affections, but now it was more like a contest between sisters would be. Kirito had been banned from the front lines for a while, but after a few close calls we decided to invite him back. He'd also brought that girl, Sachi, along.

I sighed, getting closer to the present. [Laughing Coffin] had become a huge pain recently, making even bolder moves than before, probably because we haven't gotten many words on them and had left them unchecked. Still, their pride would be their downfall. We'd gotten a note from a former member on their whereabouts, and were planning a [Raid] tomorrow. I closed my eyes. Asuna and Lilly had gotten worried. Scared, even. So they trapped me in bed tonight, and had their way with me. Not that I particularly minded. I blinked as I heard Asuna yawning beside me.

"Keito…?" she murmured. I glanced over at her, staring into her still sleepy, half-lidded eyes. "Oh… you're awake…" I smiled and kissed her forehead.

"Yeah," I replied in a hushed toned, as to not wake Lilly. Asuna's left arm wrapped around mine, and her right hand laid itself on my chest. She sighed contently. "Worried about tomorrow?"

"I'm scared…" she admitted. "There are… actual people… We're going to be fighting people who want to kill us…" I closed my eyes and pressed my lips against hers, making her squeak in surprise, but it was ultimately returned. Her hand began trailing lower down my body, and I felt myself smile during the kiss.

"We can't go far," I told her, getting a slow nod. I closed my eyes, enjoying the feeling of what she was doing. "Hmmm… the [Raid] will be short…" I told her. "Fighting among humans usually don't last long. I'm not sure how it'll translate over a game." She nodded slowly, her grip tightening a bit as she became more confident in what she was doing.

"Right… you were a ninja," she mumbled. I chuckled and kissed the tip of her nose. "Still hard to believe that."

"Mmm, get used to it, cutie," I told her. "You're looking at a king." Asuna merely rolled her eyes and smiled.

"Yeah, well here you're a near world champion gamer and Youtuber," she retorted. "Oh, how the mighty have fallen." I grinned even more, checking the time. It was almost time to get up, so it would be a waste of time to fall back to sleep. I glanced back at Asna and winked.

"Wanna see if we can wake up Lilly?" I asked, grinning. Asuna blushed, but nodded regardless. I grinned even wider, pulling myself over top of her.

"A-Ah!" Asuna squealed in surprise as our fun began.

 **XXXXX**

 **[Floor Twenty-Eight] [Fields] [August 17** **th** **, 2024] [1:30 PM] [TheKaiSenpai]**

I sighed as we approached the alleged [Guild House] of the [Laughing Coffin]. With them out of the way, things will be easier as we try to beat this game. I let my grip tighten and loosen around my sword a few times, getting the blood flowing in my hands and arms. As we came upon the cave, and yes, it was a cave, I turned back to the entire [Clearing] [Party]. Everyone was here. Kirito. The [KoB]. The [Hopeful Foxes]. Klein's merry crew. Thinker, and the entirety of the [Aincrad Liberation Force]. Well, the ones he could muster up, anyway. The [Shadow Clan]. The [Roaring Dragons]. DaTa had even managed to get every single member of the [Howling Samurai] to join us. We were a force of over seven hundred players, against a [Guild] of at most fifty. The only difference that could lead to our downfall, was that [Laughing Coffin] had no limits about killing. It was time to remove ours as well. I sighed, knowing I was taking a great risk. I stood in front of the legions of people in front of me. I didn't care if the [Red Guild] could see us. I wanted them to. I wanted them to see us, and hear me. Beside me, to my left, stood DaTa. To my right, was Kirito. The three of us were beacons of hope to these players. I would not let them down.

"We are here," I told them all. "And inside, our enemies lie in wait, preparing for us!" I scowled, trying not to think of the lower [Levelled] members of my [Guild] who had been murdered during New Year's. "They, who killed our friends!" A roar of anger bellowed through the fields. "They, who slaughtered innocents!" Another cry of outrage. "And even now, as we speak, they plan on how to kill us!" Yet another roar echoed across the fields, those with shields banging their swords against them. I looked them all over as they listened for my words. "They would kill us in an instant. These beasts have no limits on the pain they'd inflict on us." I hesitated. "I ask of you, my brothers and sisters, to take upon yourselves the willingness to sacrifice part of your humanity…" I sighed, there was no turning back, "to do unto them, as they would us." Murmurs broke out amongst the [Clearers]. "I know it is a hard decision, and not all of you are willing to make it. I understand. In fact, I commend you for such bravery. To ease your minds, I will make it another priority to force them into surrender." I pulled out a [Corridor Crystal] from my [Inventory]. "I have with me a one-way path to the [Iron Palace Prison], where they will rot until the end of the game, where we can have them arrested in real life for murder!" A cheer went up from the [Clearers]. "But I beseech you! In a choice between your own life, and theirs! I'm sure we'd all rather that it be you, speaking and celebrating with us when this is all over, than them rotting in prison, laughing at their victory over you!" I grinned. "Now! Brothers and sisters of the [Clearers]! Today is not to be a victory for the [Hopeful Foxes]! Nor the [Howling Dragons]! Nor the [Midnight Black Cats]! No! Today will be a day, marking the victory of all of us! We, the brave men and women who dared to fight! Dared to clear this game, and free everyone from the tyranny of Kayaba Akihiko!"

A cry of pride arose from the sea of players before me. I grinned widely. I had them pumped. "Now! As one, we roar! For victory over our foes!"

 **"For victory over our foes!"** they replied.

 **"ROOOOOOAAAAAAAAR!"** I shouted.

 _ **"RRROOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRR!"**_ was the bellowing reply. I turned to the entrance of the cave.

"Surely, they tremble in fear of the mighty beasts before them!" I cried out. "Go and triumph! Fight, for those who lost their lives!" With that, I charged headfirst into the cave, the massive sea of players following me. I raised my shield, ready to block any incoming attack. Moments later, I felt something hit it. I grinned, shoving whomever it was back. I engaged the man, who was smirking at me. The top half of his face was hidden under the shadow of his hood. I got a look at his name. PoH. I smiled. How fitting for the two leaders of the battle field to face one another. I chuckled, stretching a bit.

 **(( watch?v=dZLMdy9DiLY ))**

"You've come quite a long way from the little hero on the [First Floor]," PoH spoke to me, staring me down as the battle raged around us. It was more like a massacre. Even though the members of the [Laughing Coffin] fought back, they couldn't fight our overwhelming numbers. They couldn't even compete with us. PoH chuckled. "Yes, I see how fruitless our efforts are, trying to fight against you. Just like you, taking no chances whatsoever. The 'Baitor'." PoH's grin widened. "You are the hero of this story of ours, and I, the villain." A long blade slowly descended the long sleeves of his robes, and he grabbed it by the hilt. I readied my shield and sword. "Come, and prove to me what type of hero you are."

I grit my teeth as he burst towards me at speeds that DaTa would move. My eyes widened with concentration as I let out a yell. "Hah!" I shoved my shield forward, knocking away his blade as he swung at me. The sword spun in the air, making me lose track of where he could strike next. He used the recoil to spin, coming at me from the side. I grunted, feeling his blade slice my arm. Fuck, that hurt! I scowled, hating his easy smile as he reared back, swinging for my neck. I raised my shield to block it. Once more, he used the recoil to his advantage. Once more, his sword spun in his hand. I had to attack! I moved my shield to the side, slashing downward at him. He easily sidestepped my attack, his blade stopping in a reverse grip as he sliced at my legs. I grunted, feeling my knees buckle. His blade began to shimmer, and I was assaulted by a flurry of slashes. My armor and shield blocked most of the attacks, though.

"Come now, I was expecting more from the great 'hero," PoH taunted me. "Perhaps that bravado of being a great hero was just that, hollow words!" I growled, steeling myself and ignoring the pain of his previous attack. "I'm not even using my favorite sword! What good is a hero who cannot fight his enemy!" He swung at me. I blocked, pushing him back before I immediately attacked his left side, managing to cut his arm.

"Shut the hell up!" I shouted at him, noticing that the battle around us had ended. All that was left was our duel as both those from [Laughing Coffin] and the [Clearers] watched on. "What do you know of being a hero!?"

"Nothing," PoH admitted, parrying my next strike. I raised my shield just in time to block his strike in return. "But I know that you can never be one unless you defeat me. If I were using my favorite sword, this would have been over." He smirked, tossing his current blade away and summoning a new one from his [Inventory]. "There, now I will not hold back. You had better not, either." I grunted, trying to steady my breathing. Even DaTa wasn't interfering. This was a matter of my own pride. Still, this was an impossible battle. He was too quick, too unpredictable in where he'd strike. I knew there was something funny about that sword, too. Probably a [Paralysis] [Enchantment]. They did love their [Paralysis]. Now I had to avoid getting hit at all.

"You don't know anything…" I readied myself, raising my shield once more. "And I won't let you win!" PoH laughed.

"So melodramatic!" he taunted me. "Even if you lose, no difference will be made, today! My [Guild] has lost. I am surrounded. You only fight me for your own stupid pride!" He paused. "And you will die for it." He smirked. "Give up. You'll only get yourself killed, boy." I sneered at him, but knew he probably wasn't wrong. In a fair fight, I was outmatched. He simply would pull any trick that he could. But still… "Give up, and just turn me in. Don't turn this into a pyrrhic victory."

"Are you gonna sit there and take that!?" DaTa shouted at me. "You're The-motherfucking-KaiSenpai! You can own his ass like nothing else!" Did he really believe in me?

"Show him who's boss, dude!" MechManiC followed up. "Some punk can't beat the [Raid Commander] of the [Clearers]!"

"Naturally, I'd beat him easy," Kirito spoke up. "But since this is your fight, you'll have to do it for me. Don't disappoint me, alright old man?"

"You can win!"

"Don't let his words knock you down!"

"You're our fearless leader!"

"Don't listen to a word this dumbass says!"

"You're our hero!"

My grip tightened on my sword, and I was filled with determination. "I might not be all that," I spoke to PoH. "I might lose against you. I might only be fighting for my pride. But so are you! You could have given up at any time, but you still keep fighting against me for no reason! But here's the difference between us… You're the villain, and I'm the hero! You have nobody to stand by you in your time of need. You have no one who will watch your back! You're a selfish pig who wants nothing more that control and power!" I grinned widely. "But me… I have friends… family! I have my brothers and sisters who'll support me no matter where I go, and I'd gladly give up my life to do the same for them! As a hero, I don't only carry my own pride and power on my shoulders, but the hopes and dreams of everyone who stands beside me!" I raised my blade to the air. "So I, the 'Laughing Fox', will defeat you!" I lowered my blade towards PoH. Without giving him a chance to respond, I took a deep breath.

 **"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"** I bellowed, dashing towards him. He raised his blade to deflect and parry mine, instantly pulling back his blade before thrusting it forward towards my head. I craned my neck to the side, flipping onto the ground and tumbling before I spun, extending my legs and kicking him twice. PoH stumbled back as I jumped back onto my feet. I dropped my shield and spun, swinging towards his torso. Of course, PoH blocked it, but I did something he would never have expected. I grabbed his blade tightly. It dug into my hand, and I could feel the [Paralysis] begin to set in. "For the murder of my friends!" I grunted, pulling my blade back behind my head. "My kin!" I thrust forward towards his neck. "This is their vengeance!" I felt my sword slice cleanly through his neck, before falling from the [Paralysis] from grabbing his sword. I fell to the ground, unable to move as I heard the shatter of polygons. I chuckled to myself, closing my eyes as people crowded me, and I heard Asuna heal me. "Get… dunked on… mate…" I felt myself pass out from exhaustion.

 **XXXXX**

 **[Floor Seventy-Four] [Kamdet, The Blooming Flower] [October 7** **th** **, 2024] [1:25 PM] [Asuna]**

"-as well as becoming more attentive to me," Aya spoke in a happy tone. Ever since the [Raid] on [Laughing Coffin], Kai had been spending more time with Aya, as well as balancing out his work as [Raid Commander]. I guessed after a show like that, he deserved some control over his life. It wasn't easy though. It was pretty much an assurance that getting out of this game would be a lot slower than it had been, but I don't think people minded as much, now. We'd already been trapped here for almost two years. As much as we wanted out, people were starting to see [Aincrad] as home, just like Keito did. "It's nice to have my fiancé back. I don't know what DaTa did or said to him, but Kai's saying it's his doing."

"I don't either," I replied. "DaTa hasn't brought it up at all. I don't think he knows that he inspired Kai at all." Aya and Hanako both laughed.

"D-DaTa seems to b-be oblivious to the th-things a-a-around him," Hanako pointed out. She was more confident than the girl I'd met all those months ago, but she still had issues with huge crowds, and she still had a stutter. Hisao had been doing what he could to help her, but he told us that sometimes, doing nothing was all he could do. Hanako seemed adamant on helping herself.

"Please, if anyone's like that, it's Kai," I rolled my eyes at her statement. "It's like he has no clue what's going on around him, and just does his own thing."

"Well, you aren't wrong," Aya smiled as she spoke. "My fiancé has always been a bit melodramatic. He likes to live in his own little world. He's actually described how he sees the world, to me!" I leaned forward. I _had_ to hear this! "He says he imagines the world like an anime. Music sometimes runs through his head at certain points, and all sorts of sound effects and plotlines will sometimes pop into his mind at random."

"D-Does he need h-h-help…?" Hanako asked cautiously. I was wondering the same thing. This sounded serious.

"He's also acknowledged that none of it is real, and is all part of his overly active imagination," Aya eased our worries. "He mostly keeps these things to himself, but…" Aya trailed off. "Sometimes he's so excited, so charismatic… You just can't help but be drawn into that world with him…" Her eyes were half-lidded, and she was staring at the cup of tea in front of her. Even still, a happy smile graced her face, like she was reliving an old, happy memory.

To be honest, I understood what she meant. When the [Clearers] were watching Kai fight PoH, we didn't have to cheer him on. I'm sure that we all silently knew that Kai could outmatch the [Red Player]. Even still, like a crowd cheering on a hero, we called out to him. And like a hero, he stood to rise to the challenge. He gave a speech that had been recorded by someone, and passed around the whole of [Aincrad]. The days after that speech he made, we received a huge influx of players who claimed they wanted to join the [Clearers]. We had to turn most of them down, though. They simply weren't high enough in [Level]. But still, if we had accepted them all, the [Clearers] would have doubled in size. One man… could inspire hundreds to pick up their swords and fight.

Yeah, maybe we had been drawn into Kai's own little world. But the strange thing was, I don't think anyone minded. He was a beacon of hope, now. People were starting to call him the 'Invincible Hero'. The term 'Baitor' had all but disappeared. Membership for the [Hopeful Foxes] had quadrupled, and Kai had asked Amako, his Vice Commander, to turn them down for him.

"I didn't have the heart to tell them 'no'," he'd stated publicly. "If I were the one to answer, I'd always say yes. But I knew that I couldn't put them in harm's way. So I sent the wall!"

"It's astounding how much he's changed the people in this game," Aya stated once more. "People are starting to have hope again. After a year and a half, things died down pretty quickly, but now…" She giggled lightly. "Now… I'm proud of him. He finally became the hero he always dreamed of being." She turned to me. "How is DaTa faring? He's been training extremely hard recently, I hear."

"Yeah…" Hanako agreed with Aya. "L-Lilly has told me that t-too… Is he o-ok…?" I sighed, frowning a bit.

"Yeah," I replied flippantly. I'd already gotten this question from MechManiC. "He's just trying to catch up with everyone else. Well, he's trying to surpass Kirito, actually. I asked him why, but he wouldn't respond to me about it." I paused. "I think something big is going to happen. I can just feel it. DaTa talks in his sleep, and he keeps muttering about the [Seventy-Fifth Floor]." Both of the women across from me grimaced. It was common knowledge now that every twenty-fifth [Floor] held a [Boss] that was more powerful than usual. "I think he's afraid of it."

"With the numbers among the [Clearers], I would assume any [Boss] would be easy," Aya stated. I shook my head.

"[Boss Rooms] will only accept so many players until the others are all cut off," I said. "We're all training to be the ones picked to fight. Only the top [Levelled] players are allowed to go on [Raids]. The rest are mostly there to help with [Field Bosses] and exploring the [Labyrinth]. It helps speed things up, but [Bosses] are another matter completely." Aya hummed thoughtfully.

I took another sip of my tea as we sat, thinking things over. I wondered what DaTa could have said or done to inspire Ki so much. It had to have been some kind of ancient wisdom, or something he learned from one of his other lives. I smiled. Regardless of what it was, it made me happy to know he was in my life. I sighed, also remembering how I had been assigned a bodyguard. While he wasn't on duty yet, it was still annoying to know I had to have someone following me around all day. Probably some pervert, I'd bet.

 **XXXXX**

 **[Floor Seventy-Four] [Kamdet, Teleportation Courtyard] [October 18** **th** **, 2024] [9:00 AM] [DaTa]**

I yawned, waiting for Asuna to arrive. I'd agreed to bring her along on my training, something she'd happily accepted. Lilly had deigned to pass, though. She admitted that fighting was not her specialty. Even at my insistence, she wanted nothing to do with it. So we let her be, and today would just be about Asuna and myself. I promised her a day of just ourselves, soon.

"Get away from me, you weirdo!" I hear Asuna shout from behind me. I turned around just in time for her to run into me, instantly putting me between her and…

"Kuradeel?" I spoke aloud. "Eh… Asuna, what's going on?" I turned back to speak to her as the rather wrinkly [KoB] member stood before us.

"That creep was sitting in front of our door!" Asuna shouted. My eyes widened as I glanced back at Kuradeel.

"What the hell!?" I growled. The man had the gall to look indignant.

"As miss Asuna's bodyguard, I am required to guard her body at all times!" he claimed. I glanced at Asuna.

"Wait, you have a bodyguard?" I asked her. She glared at me. "Right, right, back on point." I sighed and turned to Kuradeel. "Alright, let's get this straight. Being a bodyguard doesn't mean being a stalker. Give her some distance, man!"

"I will not be told how to do my job, by a [Guild Master] who cannot even lead his [Guild]!" Kuradeel shouted. I approached him.

"Kuradeel," I rested my hand on his shoulder, glaring at him. "You _really_ don't want to mess with me. Now turn your wrinkly ass around, and _walk away_." A conflicted expression appeared on his face, before he did just that, mumbling all the way. I chuckled and smiled, turning back to Asuna. "So," I walked back to my girlfriend. "Wanna get going?"

"Oh look, it's ginger and the beast," I heard a voice speaking from the [Teleport Platform]. I turned, seeing Kirito and Sachi stepping off. While Kirito tried to avoid us, Sachi was dragging him towards Asuna and myself.

"Kirito," she spoke in a disappointed manner.

"Sorry," Kirito sighed, surprising me. My expression morphed into a sly smile.

"Balls trapped in her purse?" I asked the boy as they approached. Kirito shot me a pointed glare. "Hey, easy there, tiger. I know the pain." I chuckled, smiling towards the both of them. Sachi had improved greatly since I'd last really seen here in the [Labyrinth] of the [Twenty-Seventh Floor]. I gave her a light smile, which she returned.

"Are you both going to the [Labyrinth]?" she asked.

"Yeah," I replied, resting my hand on the hilt of my blade. "I'm assuming you're doing the same?"

"No, we're going to the [Town Square] to have sex in public," Kirito responded before Sachi could talk. The raven haired girl's face turned red.

"Wha-Wha-What!?" she squeaked. Kirito merely smirked and crossed his arms. "Kirito!" Sachi punched the boy in the arm. "Th-That's inappropriate!"

"Wanna come with us?" Asuna asked them, trying her best to ignore Kirito's comment. I grinned and winked at the boy, getting a smile in return. "We could use some extra firepower." The two of them glanced at one another before Kirito nodded.

"I could use two meat shields," he said, but there wasn't much bite behind it. While he was still kind of an ass, Sachi had been able to take the edge off of him. She was a good girl. I nodded towards them.

"Let's get moving, then," I told them. "We don't want to waste all our time standing around." With that, we made our way towards the [Labyrinth].

 **XXXXX**

 **A/N: I had originally planned for this entire chapter to be in DaTa's PoV, but realized that it would be much more interesting to write the [Raid] in Kai's. After all, his entire theme in this story is his desire to be more than just a man. If you've followed his struggle through this story, it's him trying to balance what he wants to be. He wants to be a hero and a leader, but he also wants to be a loving fiancé to Aya. What we've mostly seen is him trying his hardest to maintain both, but he's been struggling with it. He doesn't think he can. Finally, he snaps when he sees Kirito being a bad leader. I think he saw a bit of himself in Kirito then.**

 **I decided this would be the best place for him to finally resolve his inner struggle. We see him being taunted, having it rubbed in his face that he's being selfish, and only really doing all of this for himself. PoH points out some pretty valid things, like how melodramatic Kai is and how everything he's done has been for some pretty stupid reasons. Things I hadn't really thought of until now. And yet, Kai rises to the challenge with the help of his friends, and finds some good things about what he's done, and how he's affected the people around him. He finally comes to peace about what he's doing. This chapter was, admittedly, a bit rushed. To be honest, I planned the entire Aincrad Arc to be a type of Prologue of sorts, introducing the characters and shaping them for the future. I realize I haven't taken much time to develop my characters, so I've decided to slow down a bit, and devote some chapters to the main characters, letting them actually grow.**


	7. Chapter 7: The Black Swordsman

TheKaiSenpai doesn't own SAO or anything else used here, and this is just something he does when he's bored.

 **XXXXX**

 **Chapter Seven: The Black Swordsman**

 **[Floor Seventy-Four] [Labyrinth] [October 19** **th** **, 2024] [1:23 PM] [Asuna]**

I smiled, watching the two boys have a ball as they slaughtered [Mobs] together. Sachi and I had decided to take a break, and let the boys take care of things. Really, we weren't needed all that badly. They both knew how to take care of themselves. Taking care of each other? Well, yeah, they could do that, too. Kirito served more as vanguard, cutting down anything in his way, while Keito provided a more [Supporting] role, taking care of any [Mobs] that slipped past Kirito, or ones that he wouldn't be able to reach before they attacked him. If I didn't know any better, they almost seemed like brothers.

Kirito, the reckless younger sibling, getting himself into trouble but taking up most of the attention. It was true, Kirito had made a name for himself as the deadly 'Black Swordsman', a beast beyond most other players. He and Sachi made up the only two remaining members of the [Moonlit Black Cats], with Sachi as the [Guild Master]. It was surprising at first, their roles, but Kirito had brushed any questioning aside, claiming that since she was technically his elder in the [Guild], he let her keep the title. It was kind of sweet.

Keito, the watchful older brother, stronger than the younger brother, but standing back so the younger can experience glory and excitement. Keito had set a place for himself as the 'Big Brother' of the [Clearers], tending and caring for them as best as he could. While Kai tool the role as the 'Hero', defending and fighting for everyone under him, Keito took the time to know the names and faces of those around him. It was kind of a cute little back-and-forth they had.

Thinking of it, the guys; Kai, Kirito, Keito, MechManiC, Klein, and Hisao, were starting to hang out more recently. Every other night they'd be out at a bar, drinking and telling stories and playing games. I only knew of this because Keito had told Lilly and I one night after coming home particularly late. And drunk. I didn't take him to be one to drink in excess, but I guess after several years of being sober, he wanted to catch up a little bit.

"So…" Sachi tried to start another conversation as we walked behind the boys. "I hear that DaTa's been going on his own, recently?" I nodded, sighing.

"He's been training himself to the bone," I replied, looking worriedly at my boyfriend. "I told Aya and Hanako this, but I think he's trying to get prepared for the next [Floor Boss]." She nodded slightly.

"It's the next quarter…" she mumbled, half to herself. "The last quarter…"

"And definitely more dangerous," I added. I smiled as Keito punched DaTa on the shoulder for dishing out the last hit. "I just hope we all make it out. We've had far fewer deaths ever since Kai made some renovations to how the[Clearers] formed [Parties], and Kai's making sure everyone stays safe." I paused. "I think having Thinker join the [Clearers] was a good move. That man… he'd put DaTa and MechManiC in a run for their money." DaTa and Mech were both known for their incredible strategies, but not really good at improvisation. That was left to Thinker, who could come up with brilliant strategies on the fly if something went wrong. Sachi paused for a moment.

"Kirito… wasn't always like how he was, you know," Sachi spoke softly. "I don't want to be the only one who knows this."

"You mean he wasn't always an asshole? That's kind of hard to believe," I rolled my eyes. Sachi shot me a glare, but we both knew I was right. "So if he was a nicer guy, what happened?"

"Well… he told me one night about his family…" Sachi mumbled. I smiled slyly.

"Oooh, did you get to experience his 'sword skills' firsthand?" I asked, making the girl blush deeply. I took it as a yes.

"Th-That's personal!" Sachi squeaked. "A-Anyway… Kirito told me… how he found out that his parents were killed, and he was adopted by his aunt…" I frowned, not understanding.

"Ok? So what's that got to do with him being an ass to everyone?" I asked, confused. Sachi sighed.

"Well, they died when he was really little, so he didn't remember them… you know, dying. Well… his aunt always told him that she was his mom, and that his cousin was his sister…" I still wasn't getting the point. This just seemed like useless information to me.

"I'm still not getting your drift, Sachi," I told her. "Do you mind speeding it up?"

"Well, how would you feel if everything about your family was a lie?" she asked me. I thought for a moment. "That your family, the people you thought you could trust the most, were lying to you?"

"I'd understand," I told her in response. Sachi shook her head.

"Kirito… has…" she paused. "He has problems with trusting people because of what happened with his family. So he pushes people away by being a jerk to them before they can get close." She paused. "Ah, he doesn't mean to! I mean, maybe he did at first, but it's just… kind of second nature, now." I frowned.

"That sounds like a really stupid excuse," I told her. She sighed and looked at her feet.

"I know, but… that's how it is," she replied. "Kirito's really observant on the things around him. He's… well, he's kind of the epitome of an impressionable teenager. As a kid, he'd see a lot of bad things happening in the news, and started thinking that bad things happening to good people was normal. When he got interested in computers, those thoughts became even more justified to him as he'd go looking around the internet and news articles would pop up wth all sorts of bad things going on."

"Well, I guess that makes a little bit of sense…" I admitted, watching as Keito and Kirito took down a particularly nasty [Demonic Servant]. "Still, it seems like a really stupid reason to be an asshole to everyone." She shrugged.

"Some people have different ways of coping with the things around them," she offered. I guess that made a bit more sense. I watched as Keito broke out into song, and was trying to get Kirito to join him. The sight made me smile. I guess Sachi had some merit to her words. Out of all the things Keito had become in this life, he decided to try and be as normal as he could. Bet even then, he couldn't stop the fighter in his heart, and had joined this game. What I saw in front of me was the result of Keito trying to cope, to be as normal as he possibly could without losing what he was, a warrior.

"Has Kirito ever been pushed?" I asked Sachi. She tilted her head, confused. "I mean; has he ever been challenged? Had his beliefs struck down?"

"Where are you going with this?" she asked me. I shrugged, watching the two boys in front of us. "He was pretty upset when the rest of our [Guild] died, and I've been trying to get him to be less of a jerk to others."

"That's not what I mean," I told her. "DaTa told me once that a person can't discover who they truly are, until faced with an insurmountable challenge." I sighed. "You… saw Kai face down his. He had a choice, to back down from PoH and have everything go on as they always had, or stand up, and change the way he lived his life." I glanced back at Sachi. "I think, that on that day, Kai decided to become a real hero. Not just boast about being one, but actually be one."

Sachi thought over my words for a moment. "No, he hasn't," she replied after a few seconds. "I don't think he ever will, either. There's not really much that could be a challenge for him, these days. Not unless he tried to do something absolutely suicidal." Her eyes narrowed. "Which isn't going to happen." I smiled at her passion for the boy.

"I'm glad he has you," I told her, genuinely. "He really seems to care about you." Sachi merely nodded, blushing a little bit. I turned to the two boys as we came closer to a [Safe Zone]. "Hey guys, I think it's about time we took a rest for lunch!" Keito's eyes lit up and he grinned widely, zipping towards us at speeds I didn't he was capable of.

"Yes!" he shouted. "Food!" Kirito was close behind, though he was just walking. "Alright! Sandwiches!" Keito cheered as we entered the [Safe Zone]. I couldn't help but smile as we all sat against a stone wall on the other side of the [Safe Zone]. Keito was fidgeting as he sat, giving me a wide grin full of anticipation. There were times that I forgot that not only was he a king, and a highly feared warrior, but a boy who never really had much of a childhood. Most of the time he had been alive, he was either expected to act like an adult, or already had the mentality of one. Sometimes I forgot just how childish he could be about certain things, like food and love.

"Calm down," I smiled, opening my [Inventory]. I had made sandwiches for us before I left the apartment. His was different than mine. Mine actually had a lot of healthy [Ingredients] in it, like some [Lush Lettuce] and [Juicy Tomatoes]. Keito's sandwich was actually a pretty complex meal, and was easily twice the size of mine. It was a pain to make with his constant micro-managing, but he'd let me have a bite of one of the sandwiches he'd made himself. It was incredible! Still, I wanted to make his lunch. It wouldn't be as good as his, but I knew he'd love it anyway. "Here," I gave him his lunch, and it was as if he'd won the lottery. He smiled widely. I looked over at Kirito and Sachi, seeing that the girl had made sushi. Kirito seemed almost as excited as Keito, so her [Cooking] must have been maxed out like mine, or somewhere close.

"Yeeaaaaaaash…." Keito seemed tomoan with pleasure as he took a bite out of his food, making Kiriot and Sachi send him worried looks.

"Is… he ok?" Sachi asked. I smiled a bit bashfully.

"Eheheh… DaTa really likes my cooking…" I told them. Sachi still looked a bit concerned. I could tell that Keito was eating the sandwich with vigor and excitement.

"Hey, it's Kirito," I heard a voice announce itself from the border of the [Safe Zone]. I looked up, seeing a player named Klein, who was walking towards us with his [Guild]. I never really talked to him very often, but Keito and Kai seemed to like him. "And DaTa. What's up guys?"

"Not much," Keito stood, brushing himself off. "Just stopping for lunch, yourself?"

"Kai called for all the [Clearers] to start actively going through the [Labyrinth] later today," Klein stated. "I thought I'd grab my [Guild] and get some [Grinding] done before everyone got here. Lo and behold, it's pretty empty though, I guess you guys had a hand in that?"

"Yup," Kirito stood, stretching. "Just being a couple of badasses. You know, the usual." I rolled my eyes, and Sachi giggled.

"Right," Klein humored the boy. I glanced behind Klein, spotting a large group of people coming. It looked like they were from the [ALF].

"Hey!" Keito waved to them, drawing everyone else's attention to the approaching players. "What's up guys!? You with the [Clearers]?" My eyes narrowed. While the player in front looked fine, the ones following him were stumbling, limping, and breathing heavily. They looked exhausted!

"Yes," spoke the man up front. "My name is Kobatz, and I am the head of this [Raid Party]." He nodded towards Keito. "Has the path ahead been cleared?"

"All but the [Boss Room]," Kirito mumbled. Kobatz grinned.

"Magnificent!" he turned to his men. "Let's move, men!"

"Are you crazy!?" Klein protested, "Your guys are in no shape to keep going, even less to fight a [Boss]!"

"Nonsense," Kobatz replied. "My men are in top form! Now move aside, or you will be moved!" I turned to Keito, but he was making no move to stop them. He looked conflicted, though. As they all walked past us, Keito turned to Kirito.

"We have to help them," he told the boy, making Kirito face him.

"What? Why?" Keito glared at Kirito when he responded like that. "Seriously, they can take care of themselves!"

"Kid, it's time to grow up," Keito spoke in a serious tone that I'd only ever heard a handful of times. "The world is changing outside, and you need to be prepared for it." Kirito's right eye twitched. "For better or for worse, you need to start giving a damn and-"

"Shut up!" Kirito growled, getting in Keito's face. I immediately reached for my rapier, Klein doing the same for his katana, and Sachi with her spear. "I don't have to do anything for them! Since when have they done anything for me!?" Sachi rested her hand on his shoulder, but Kirito brushed her off, glaring at Keito. "And since when have you gotten the right to be all high and mighty!? You're the one who left us all to die on the last floor!" Keito's glare turned stone cold. I froze, it almost felt like the air temperature was dropping. Klein, Sachi, and Kirito could feel it as well, I could see them shaking. What was this ungodly pressure!? My heart rate was skyrocketing, and I felt like I could almost see Keito slaughtering us all out of pure anger! As soon as it came, it disappeared. Sachi and Klein both seemed to recover as well, but Kirito's shaking got even worse.

"Don't _ever_ accuse me of leaving my comrades behind," Keito growled. Kirito gasped, and fell to his knees. "If you won't help them, then I will." He turned away and started heading to the [Boos Room], but stopped after a few steps. "I left because I thought you would be a capable leader in the absence of Kai and myself. I assumed wrong." Keito took off towards the [Boss Room], leaving us all behind. Sachi was kneeling beside her boyfriend, and was holding his shoulder. Klein turned to me and frowned.

"Just what the hell _was_ that!?" he demanded of me. I knew that he meant.

"I have no clue," I responded. "He never told me of any [Skill] like that." I held back the rest. I knew that it must have been something from one of his past lives. There was no way it couldn't have been. He'd told me about something similar before, something called Killing Intent, that people would use against one another to terrify others and make it easier to kill them. It sounded barbaric, but if what we felt was Killing Intent, then I had to admit it was practical. It didn't mean I liked it, though.

"Dammit!" Kirito growled, standing up. He ran in the same direction as Keito. I glanced at Sachi, who had a bright smile on her face.

"What did you do?" I asked her, curious. With a light blush on her face, she responded.

"I told him what would happen if he started helping other people," she replied. "Never mind that, let's go follow them! We need to help those players, too!" I nodded in response, and Sachi and I both started [Sprinting] to the [Boss Room], with Klein and his [Guild] trying to catch up with us. Kirito was already at the door, staring in. Inside the [Boss Room], Keito was trying to grab people and shove them out of the way of the [Boss's] attack. It was massive, towering over everyone at almost four times my height. It was a massive blue minotaur like monster, with shining red eyes and a golden scimitar. It had four [Health Bars], with the first one still almost full, and the name of [The Gleam Eyes].

I growled, turning to Kirito. "Why are you standing here? We have to help them!" Sachi and Klein with his [Guild] were already running inside. "Kirito! Are you even listening to me!?"

"God, help me!" someone from the [ALF] screamed. I turned just in time to see Keito try and save the man, before he was sliced in half by the [Boss]. I grabbed Kirito by the shoulders and shook him.

"Dammit, Kirito! Get off your ass and let's go!"

 **XXXXX**

 **[Kirito]**

"Kirito!" No! No! What was this feeling!? Why was I feeling this!? I didn't care! I shouldn't care! These people meant nothing to me! Hell, they meant nothing to DaTa either! Why was he helping them!? I grimaced, flashes of… something, going through my head. A tall man with long black hair and a smirk on his face. A grinning blonde with whisker marks. A tall man between them, a proud expression on his face. Who were they!? And why was this image making me feel things!?

"Kirito!" No, this was all just a bad dream. I'll wake up, and everything will be back to normal. DaTa won't be putting his life in danger and acting like he's my teacher. Asuna will go back to looking at me like a carpet stain and do her best to ignore me. Sachi will… Sachi… Oh god, that's where it started! She made me have feelings! But why…? How did she manage to make me have these things when no one else could!?

Before I could think twice, I was already running. Ducker… Tetsuo… Keita… Sasamaru… What were your thoughts before you died? Did you hate me? Did you forgive me? If you did, what are you thinking now, watching me? Would you be proud? Would Sachi be proud? I guess… that was something that mattered now, wasn't it?

I found myself gazing up at [The Gleam Eyes], striking its back before it could crush any other players. "Fuck you!" I screamed. I wasn't sure at who, though. DaTa? [The Gleam Eyes]? Sachi? Myself? I didn't care. All I knew, was I wanted this big blue piece of shit dead! [The Gleam Eyes] turned to face me and roared. I grit my teeth, prepared for any move it would throw at me. I could see in the corner of my vision that everyone else were moving the [ALF] members to a safer distance. Finally, my enemy moved, swinging down with its massive scimitar. I weaved to the side, backing up to do a little bit of strategy. I knew Sachi wasn't ready to double a [Boss] with me. Asuna would rather see me impaled then help me. I didn't know if DaTa would help me, and if Klein even could. That left me on my own.

I charged the giant blue bastard, yelling as it made a sideways swing at me. I slid under its curved blade and kept [Sprinting] towards it. I was helping these idiots, whether I liked it or not. It's what Sachi wanted me to do, I could see it on her face. Her sweet smile on that pale, beautiful face… I didn't notice [The Gleam Eyes] rear back for another swing. My eyes widened as I watched its scimitar swing down. "Kirito!" Sachi cried. Suddenly the blow was stopped. I watched with wide eyes, my tender Sachi holding back the massive blade all on her own. Had she been training in secret? There was no way she could possibly be that strong! Even I wouldn't be able to block that attack!

"Sachi! What are you doing!?" I screamed. She looked back at me, with a smile on her face, and tears in her eyes.

"I can't just let… huff… my boyfriend die… Can I…?" she grunted, struggling to keep blocking the attack as [The Gleam Eyes] gripped its weapon with both hands, forcing more pressure on her. "Aaaah!" Sachi screamed as the monster suddenly lifted up, throwing her off balance, before swinging in a circular motion, slamming his weapon into her before I could move. She went flying back. I watched helplessly.

 _"Agh!"_ screams of Ducker rang through my head.

 _"Wha-Why!?"_ followed by the terrified cries of Tetsuo.

 _"You let them die…"_ Keita… _"You let them die! They trusted you and they died because of you!"_

 _ **XXXXX Flashback XXXXX**_

 _ **[Floor Twenty] [Sunshine Forest] [April 8**_ _ **th**_ _ **, 2023] [7:25 PM] [Kirito]**_

 _"Hah!" I grunted, slicing through another [Hungry Mantis]. These mobs were super easy now. I didn't want to train near the front lines though, Kai was getting on my nerves and DaTa wasn't being any better, just following Kai like a blind sheep. We were the three strongest players in the game, and they were trying to be 'humble' about it! No! People should be on their knees by now, worship the ground we stood on! We were the ones risking our necks to get us out of this game, and what did they call us? The 'Baitor'. The 'Doormat'. The 'Sociopath'. Most people in Aincrad hated Kai and me, and they took advantage of DaTa whenever they could! And he just let them! They were all idiots._

 _"H-Help!" someone screamed._

 _"We're cornered, there's no way out!" someone else yelled from the same direction. I sighed. Them dying would put a huge damper on my mood, so I decided to investigate. I was met by a colorful bunch of people, like the Power Rangers, but probably more competent. They were indeed surrounded by [Hungry Mantises]. From one side._

 _"Oh come on!" I shouted at them. "Just run the other way through the bushes!" Seriously, this was stupid!_

 _"We would, but Ducker's paralyzed!" the one with reddish armor yelled back._

 _"Then cut your losses and leave him!" I shouted back. In the back of my mind, I wondered if the [Hungry Mantises] were actually just waiting for us to finish shouting at one another before killing them._

 _"That's horrible!"_

 _"It's life!" I told them._

 _"P-Please don't leave me behind!" the one with the stupid hat yelled. I groaned._

 _"Fine, just stand there!" I finally told them. "Noobs…" I grumbled under my breath, rushing forward to the tree [Mobs]. It was over in an instant; they didn't even pose a challenge. The five players, though, looked like I was Gandhi or something._

 _"That was incredible!" the one with green armor shouted, obviously easily impressed._

 _"Not really. A twelve-year-old could handle them," I deadpanned. "Seriously, are you guys stupid? Don't you have any [Healing Crystals]?"_

 _"We kind of… don't have any," said the one with red armor. "We don't really have the money to. Hey, how about we treat you to dinner? For saving us, I mean."_

 _"No wonder you don't have the money," I told them. "You give it out to any schmuck who saves your sorry asses."_

 _"Look, do you want the food, or not?" the guy asked, obviously pretty irritated._

 _"I didn't say I didn't," I told him._

 _ **XXXXX**_

 _ **[Solis, Fancy Ladybug Inn]**_

 _"So, since you're eating away the last of our [Guild Funds]," the guy who I assumed was the [GM] in the group spoke up. I gazed over the many plates before me. I wanted my money's worth, "which we were going to use to buy a [Guild House]. Well, in that case…" I blinked as a [Guild Invitation] popped up in front of me. "Join our [Guild]."_

 _"Wait, what!?" I protested. The guy nodded sagely._

 _"We could use someone as strong as you," he said. "And since you decided to so graciously dig deep into our pockets and spend almost every [Col] we had… Well, I'll just call that a… generous invitation." He looked down at me with crafty eyes. "Now, hit [Accept], or we'll just have to run you dry of every [Col] you own."_

 _"Excuse me?" I had to laugh. "You? The guys who couldn't even take down three [Hungry Mantises] are gonna extort [Col] out of_ me _?" I laughed again. The guy's smile didn't leave his face._

 _"Oh no, not us," he said. "I already know we're no match for you, Mr. 'Sociopath'." My laughing stopped. "You've been missing from the [Clearers] recently, right? Well, as it turns out, not many people are happy with you."_

 _"No duh," I rolled my eyes. "People are just too stupid to gaze upon my magnificence, so I decided to train down here."_

 _"The point is, I have direct connections to TheKaiSenpai," he said. I froze. "Yep. Every [Guild] in this game is invited into the [League of Aincrad], a group consisting of almost every [GM] in the game. Of which I am a member of. And which Kai is a founding member."_

 _"W-When did this happen?" I asked, not wanting to get found so soon. I'd reported my leave to all of them, but I'd left before they could approve it._

 _"A few days after you disappeared from the front lines," the guy replied to me. "It pays to be in the know." I glared at him. "Just push the button, Kirito," he said it so simply, I wanted to punch him in his stupid, smug face. I growled and pressed [Accept]. "Great! Let's welcome our newest member of the [Midnight Black Cats]!" I didn't feel like celebrating. Still, though, they dragged me into their little party. I guess it was kind of fun, getting to know new people. I still hated them all, though._

 _ **XXXXX**_

 _ **[Floor Twenty] [Sunshine Forest] [May 10**_ _ **th**_ _ **, 2023] [3:20 PM]**_

 _"Man, the [Clearers] are so cool…" Keita, the guy in red armor, spoke aloud. He had a newspaper in his hands, published by Argo and her [Guild] of information brokers. General information was sold in the papers for ten [Col], while more detailed things were where it got pricey, and you'd have to find an information broker for it. "They've already cleared the twenty-eighth [Floor]!" I glanced at the [Guild], sitting off to the side. They were ok, I guess. A little annoying at times, but it was kind of cool. They looked up to me now. I guess I was their teacher. I had been training them to become strong enough to join the [Clearers]. It was tedious, but they learned quickly. All except Sachi. I stared at the dark-haired girl. She was as shy as they come, a real wallflower. It was pathetic how weak she was compared to everyone else. She was just holding them all back. Aside from Ducker, the girl was dead weight. Better as cannon fodder. Still…_

 _Sometimes I saw a different side of her. She was always protective of her friends, and if any of them ever got seriously hurt, she would instantly switch places with them until they could fight again. It was sad to watch, really, but I guess even sheep had feelings. It made me want to puke. She was too nice, and was scared of every monster we came across. She'd rather make friends with others than fight. She'd tried doing it with me, but I pushed her away. I didn't need another sack of sand on my back to carry._

 _ **XXXXX**_

 _ **[Floor Twenty] [Solis, Alleyways] [May 20**_ _ **th**_ _ **, 2023] [9:26 PM]**_

 __ _I groaned, activating my [Detection] [Skill], searching for Sachi's footprints. Apparently the sack of sand decided to go on her merry own, and nobody else could find her. Leave it to the only one in this [Guild] who could actually fight, I guess. They were idiots, but they were my [Guild Mates]. I guess that meant I had to watch out for them. I followed the footprints to underneath a bridge, spotting the girl huddled up in a corner. "What's up, sunshine?" I called out to her, getting her attention. "Trying to go all rogue and mysterious on us? Become the brooding detective who strikes from the shadows? Cause lemme tell you something. It doesn't work." Sachi let out a loud sigh. I groaned and sat down beside her. "I really don't want to do this, but I guess I have no choice. What's wrong with you? Keita said you ran off."_

 _"I'm just… scared…" Sachi whispered under her breath._

 _"Of what, getting abused in your sleep?" I rolled my eyes. "Please, I'm Pretty sure our [GM] plays for the other team. If anything_ I _should be worried about that."_

 _"No… I'm scared that I'll get myself and everyone else killed because… because I can't fight…" she admitted. I frowned, trying to think of a joke. My mind was pulling blanks, though. "It's terrifying… knowing that everyone else is being held back because of me… They could already be on the front lines by now, if I wasn't so weak…" I was still pulling up empty._

 _"Wow, I have no clue how to make fun of that," I told her. She looked over at me with sad eyes._

 _"Do you… really have to make fun of it…?" she asked. I shrugged._

 _"It's kind of my thing," I told her. She looked back down at her feet._

 _"Maybe that's why people think you're an asshole…" she said._

 _"Wait, people think I'm an asshole!?" I feigned surprise. She glanced at me, reading the sarcastic expression I was wearing. "I couldn't tell!"_

 _"Kirito…" she mumbled. "Why do you hate me so much…?" I looked at her, kind of surprised. Where'd that come from? "Don't look so shocked. I've seen how you look at me… You look disgusted by me…" Tears pooled in her eyes. "Is it because I'm weak…? Or… Or am I ugly…? Why do you hate me and not the others?"_

 _"Whoa, whoa, I don't hate you!" I denied. "Yeah, you're weak, but I don't really hate you. I mean, I don't hate anyone in the [Guild], I guess. You just don't try like the others do, and it's annoying." She kept silent, listening to me. "Spear users can be pretty strong when they fight the right way, so it's annoying that you aren't stronger than everyone else by now. You could do it."_

 _"Really…?" she asked cautiously. "Are you… complimenting me?" I frowned. Was I? What brought this on? Was I really being nice to her and complimenting her? That didn't sound like me. But… maybe I was. I mean, she wasn't really bad looking. She was kind of cute, actually. She wasn't confrontational like Asuna, so that was a plus in my books. Maybe… she wasn't so bad. Maybe even better than the others._

 _"Yeah…" I told her slowly. "I guess I am…"_

 _ **XXXXX Flashback End XXXXX**_

 **[Floor Seventy-Four] [Boss Room] [October 19** **th** **, 2024] [2:45 PM] [Kirito]**

 **[ watch?v=nrHHXGggcmI ]**

"I'll fucking kill you!" I screamed, running at [The Gleam Eyes] again, ready to murder it. It just hurt Sachi. It hurt _Sachi_! It _hurt_ my _girlfriend_! I saw red as it thrusted towards me. I [Parried] the blow, pissed off. How dare this _thing_ lay even a finger on _my Sachi_!? I lost it. "You… I'll be right back…" I growled. "Klein! DaTa! Keep him back for ten seconds!" I retreated for a moment.

"You got it!" DaTa shouted in return. I opened my [Menu], hearing the sounds of them keeping that _thing_ occupied. [Skill Menu]. [Dual Wielding]. I growled, glaring at the stupid fucker who dared to face me. I had calmed down a little, and could see Asuna healing Sachi. That was all I needed to know. Maybe I could care. No, it was obvious I already did. I cared about these people, and I hated it. But still…

I cared about DaTa, as annoying as he was trying to teach me at every corner.

I cared about Klein, the guy who backed me up whenever he could.

I cared about Kai, who was the only person I could consider my best friend.

I cared about Sachi, the girl I loved.

I was filled with determination.

[Equip].

I roared, [Sprinting] towards my target. "Switch!" I called out, feeling my second blade forming in my grip. Unlike [Elucidator +7], which was a black longsword, the second blade was a bright and vibrant purple. It was just barely longer than [Elucidator +7]. The sword itself was shaped like a knight's sword, with a round pommel and rectangular guards that curved upwards, like miniature side points of a trident. I'd had it made by the [Guild Blacksmith] of the [Hopeful Foxes], which Kai had allowed. I didn't have a name when it was created, so I'd called it [Dark Twilight]. It was at [+6].

"Whoa…" I heard Klein mumble in awe, before I started my assault. I roared in anger, hacking, slashing the blue bastard. I hated it! It dared to hurt me! To hurt Sachi! To hurt innocent players!

"I hate you!" I screamed. "And you know what…? I hate you more than I hate people!" I kept attacking, not even bothering to block its attacks. I was causing more damage on it than it could do to me, anyway. "They're ignorant, racist, intolerant fucktards who can't do anything right! I mean, look at what they've done over the years! Genocide! Terrorism! Wars! Hate crimes!" Faster! Faster! I had to hit harder! "It's a never-ending line of stupidity, fuck ups, and death! They are by far a pathetic waste of a species, and don't deserve to even exist!" I roared as I thrust forward with [Dark Twilight +6], [Parrying] a thrust with [Elucidator +7]. "And how dare you make me care about them!?" _Smash!_ Exploded [The Gleam Eyes] as I thrust my blade through it. I felt woozy. My vision was going black. Was I…? My [HP]… It was in the red… I grunted. "Now…" I breathed out. "You can all… Go fuck yourselves…" I fell to my knees and passed out.

 **XXXXX**

 **[DaTa]**

I smiled softly as I watched Sachi run to Kirito's side. It wasn't really what I was expecting, but I think he did well. "Heal!" Sachi shouted, the [Health Crystal] she was holding shattering in her hand as Kirito's [HP] returned to full. I smiled and walked over to them, Klein and his [Guild] doing the same. Kirito was laying in Sachi's arms, a bit dazed, but looking fine overall.

"Not bad, kid," I told him, getting the middle finger in return. I smirked.

"Dude, what _was_ that?" Klein asked, searching through his [Menu]. "How can you use two swords at once, man? That [Skill's] not even in the [Directory]!" Kirito looked away.

"Do I really have to answer that…?" he mumbled.

"Yeah man!" Klein insisted. "This is big!" I watched as the [ALF] members made their way to the stairs. I guess they didn't want to stick around. "With that [Skill], we could get a ton of payers like you and just run through every [Boss] in the game!"

"To be honest, I don't really know," Kirito replied. "It just showed up one day in my [Menu]. I didn't even do anything." Sachi was running her fingers through Kirito's hair, looking shaken, but more relaxed than before.

"Well, just another thing you needed," Klein sighed, turning around. "Something else to make you ridiculously more powerful than everyone else. Well, I need a nap and whatever passes for sake. So I guess I'll see you all around."

"Seeya, Klein," I told him, patting him on the shoulder as he passed by me. Asuna came to my side as I approached the other couple. "Hey, Kirito," I spoke up, getting both of their attention. "Maybe you shouldn't give up on humanity just yet. Sure, they have some bad spots, but… I think you need to stop ignoring the good parts, too." I winked at him and motioned towards Sachi. "Maybe not all at once, but… Baby steps." I gave him a smile and turned to Asuna. "Let's get going. Lilly will kill us if we're late for dinner."

"Yeah," she replied with a sweet smile. "I'd like that." I took her hand in mine, leaving the young couple behind us. It might have been my imagination, but I could've sworn I'd heard someone say behind me…

 _"Thanks… sensei…"_

 **XXXXX**

 **A/N: If you haven't noticed, reincarnation is a theme in this story. Of who? Well, it should be fairly obvious with some of the characters. Also, yes, I did leave out Kirito's meeting with the [Midnight Black Cats] for this very reason. I was hoping it'd have more weight to it if we saw it from his perspective. And damn, it's hard doing Kirito's PoV! I'm not normally an asshole like Abridged!Kirito, who I've been using as a basis. It's pretty hard for me to draw on that characterization. The reason I use that version of Kirito is because that's how most gamers his age act. You have the merry handful who are actually decent people, but most of them are still kids who think they're all that.**

 **I also had trouble creating a turning point for Kirito. Throughout this whole story I've made him into a selfish asshole who does what he wants, even in terms with Sachi. I actually went through several drafts where he got angry because DaTa was stealing his limelight. A few others where Klein dies in front of him, reminding him of the [Midnight Black Cats]. I even once considered killing Sachi, who I decided instead would get injured. And boy, was I surprised. Despite his uncaring demeanor, Kirito's pretty possessive! All of the battle was written in one sitting today and the first half was all written the day I came out with Chapter Six. I had a three-day writer's block, and the idea of Kirito caring about others eluded me. But this one instance just made sense to me, and it all came flooding out. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed! Review and tell me what you think of it, it helps me be a better writer! Ta ta!**


	8. Chapter 8: A New Player

TheKaiSenpai doesn't own SAO or anything else used here, and this is just something he does when he's bored.

 **XXXXX**

 **A/N: Two chapters in one day! I'll be away visiting family until Sunday, so here's a little extra love! I hope you enjoy it!**

 **XXXXX**

 **Chapter Eight: A New Player**

 **[Floor Seventy-Five] [Collinia, The Sharpened Gladius Inn] [October 20** **th** **, 2024] [8:12 PM] [DaTa]**

I chuckled, leaning back against the couch in the inn. It was a pretty cozy place, different from the rest. Instead of a tavern-esque look, it was more like a bar, with pool, darts, and blackjack [Minigames] where you could bet [Col]. It had a few patrons, but tonight was guy's night. Hisao was here, along with Kai, Kirito, Klein, Agil, Thinker, MechManiC, and myself. We were all sitting back, with our favored drinks in hand. Kirito and Kisao had opted for soft drinks, while Klein had brought the alcohol. He and myself were fine with what was essentially sake, while Agil was drinking a rather bitter beer. Thinker and Mech were abstaining, but Kai was going all in with some vodka shots. He wasn't holding back, either. He wasn't saying anything, but I could tell something was on his mind.

"Man, tonight's been great," Kai chuckled, downing another shot. "Ahhhh, fuck that burns!"

"You should slow down, man," Klein spoke up. "This all might be virtual, but you'll get yourself [Drunk]. Kai frowned and shrugged, pushing the shot glass away.

"Yeah, yeah…" he grumbled, his words slurring. "Just got issues, ya know?" He paused. "Ignore that, I'm tired." He groaned, standing. "Gonna… what is it… pool? I'm playing pool." Thinker and Klein both stood with him as Kai walked over to an empty pool table.

"I'll make sure he doesn't get into trouble," Klein spoke up. Thinker nodded.

"I'd rather our [Raid Commander] is in top form for the next meeting," he said. I sighed, standing as well. I dusted off my pants.

"I'll go to," I said. "I haven't played in a while." I walked over to join the three men as they set up the game. Added in, we split into teams of two. Klein and myself against Thinker and Kai. I took another sip of my vodka as the balls were set up.

"So, what's happening with you, Kai?" I asked, trying to dig into whatever was bothering him. He made the first shot, scattering the balls across the table. The first one to go in the hole was a solid. Green, with the number six on it. He ignored my question as Thinker lined up the next shot. _Thwack!_ He missed. "Kai."

"Huh?" he mumbled as Klein moved around the table, hoping to get an easy in. So far, though, most of the balls were not going to go in simply.

"Is there something wrong?" I asked again. Instead of ignoring me this time, an expression of though came across his face. And conflict. _Thwack!_ Klein got the striped orang thirteen in the corner hole. He handed the cue to me.

"Just… girls, man…" Kai mumbled. I moved around the table, listening to Kai as I looked for a shot. "They… confuse the fuck outta me, ya know?" He chuckled mirthlessly as I lined up to put in the nine ball. "Aya's… being distant…"

"Maybe she's just getting a little revenge, huh?" Klein suggested. _Twack!_ It went in. I passed the cue to Klein. Kai shook his head.

"No… No… she's never been one for revenge," he defended her. "I mean, I know I'm an asshole, but she's always forgiven me without any question about it. It's just… she just leaves to go with Asuna and PaperGirl18 more often than not, now. I bet it sucks for you too, huh, Kai?" I gave him a confused look. _Thwack!_ Miss.

"What do you mean?" I asked him. "Asuna's been training with the [KoB] for the last few weeks. I even got complaints from a few of the members on how she was a slave driver."

"I heard about that!" Thinker spoke up as he lined up his shot. _Thwack!_ In went the five ball. "I even had a few requests from their former members to join the [ALF], just because she drove a few of them off.

"Wait…" Kai took the cue as he spoke. "Then…" He turned to Hisao. "Hey, Hisao!"

"Yes?"

"What's PaperGirl been up to recently?" Kai shouted. Hisao's face went beet red.

"W-We've… you know… Just been hanging out," Hisao stammered. Kai's expression started to fall as he turned back to us. I could see the years beginning to pile onto him.

"Ah…" he mumbled, the spirit in his eyes fading. "I see." I could see a faint glimmer of hope that he was desperately clinging on to. But I think we all knew what was going through his mind. Despite his very tolerant and relaxed nature, Kai had very little filter between his thoughts and his mouth. His distrust of women in general was evident to anyone and everyone. It was sexism at its most harmful, both for himself and others. While people tried to understand it, he'd driven off plenty of strong potential members to his [Guild] because of it. He tended to hand more important tasks to men instead of women, and rarely would treat women with the respect they desired. While he wasn't bad, such as making aggressive advances or incredibly offensive comments, he tended to overstep boundaries without thinking. He was ignorant to his own discrimination.

"Well, hey," Klein tried to deter such thoughts. "Maybe she's picking out a super secret surprise for you, man?" Kai's eyes lit up with light hope. He smiled weakly, and nodded towards the redhead with appreciation.

"Yeah," Kai replied, starting to muster back some strength. "Heh, maybe!" He lined up his shot. _Thwack!_ The four ball went in. "Yeah, that'd be nice! Hey, maybe I should do the same, ya know? There's a really nice jazz club on this [Floor], I hear. Maybe go on a fancy date, with lots of romance and expensive dining!" His eyes lit up. He was such a hopeless romantic, but I guess that was what made him a good guy to be with. He loved to love, and didn't hold that back either. The boundaries he'd unknowingly cross would be along the lines of being intimate towards other women; like buying their food, carrying their things for them if they didn't have the [Inventory] space, things you'd normally do on a day-to-day basis with a girlfriend. But he did it with even strangers. While guys sometime would be on the receiving end of his kindness, it was mostly women. He loved to love, and it made things a bit awkward for most of the women around him.

"Hey, you know what else would be fun?" I asked him. _Thwack!_ Thinker missed his shot by a hair. I took the cue and walked around the table, looking for a clear shot.

"What?" Kai asked, curious. His eyes were brimming with joy and excitement, the exact opposite of the broken man we'd almost seen.

"How about we have an exhibition match tomorrow?" I asked him. "Just me and you, fighting in glorious battle for honor and victory!" I grinned, trying to get him pumped up. He was nearly bouncing on his toes as I spoke. "A one-on-one match between the 'Samurai' and 'The Invincible Hero'! A fight to last the ages!" I paused. "And viewed with a live audience!"

"That sounds awesome!" Kai exclaimed, pumped up with excitement and happiness. "Oh man, that's gonna be so fun! I'd love to fight you! You and Kirito are the only ones who could pose a challenge anymore!" I glanced at Thinker.

"Think you can gather a crowd?" I asked him. The man nodded, smiling. Kai's happiness was infectious.

"Of course," he said. "This will also be a great chance to grab funds for the [Clearers], by selling tickets to the fight. They'll also get a chance to see two of [Aincrad's] strongest players in action, something that will inspire hope in them." I nodded, reaching out my hand to Kai. He grabbed it, and we shook.

"Good luck, Kai," I told him. He grinned.

"Skill always beats luck, bud," he replied.

 **XXXXX**

 **[Collinia, Colosseum] [October 21** **st** **, 2024] [2:16 PM]**

"Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to sunny Collinia! It's a bright and beautiful day, perfect weather for-"

"A fight between the two greatest people to ever master the art of beating the ever-loving shot out of each other!" The crowds cheered as Kai and I stood in the center of the arena. The stands were packed with players, with reserved seating for every [Guild] in the game only taking up one fifth of the seating. Huge screens were on all sides and directly above us, showing us up close. Kai was loving the attention, waving to everyone around him, before finally finding the camera and waving directly into it. "First up with have 'The Invincible Hero'. The 'Slayer of Red'. The great 'Hopeful Fox', himself, TheKaiSenpai! His tenacity is so evident; he even takes hits just to land his own!"

"And on the other side we have the 'Samurai'. The 'Master of the Katana'. The 'Lady-Killer'. DaTa!" I chuckled at my last nickname. "He's an aggressive attacker so strong, he doesn't even need any defense!" I glanced at Kai.

 **[ watch?v=elrgKOpqXpA ]**

"Well, shall we begin?" I asked, pulling up a [Duel Request]. He smiled and [Accepted], setting the terms to [Half Health] with no [Time Limit]. The counter above us began from ten.

"I'm going to love this," he grinned widely. He drew his longsword and kite shield. I rested my hand on the pommel of my katana. I was ready. He looked eager, shifting his weight, ready to move. Finally, the timer hit zero. I [Sprinted] towards him without hesitation. My blade flew from my sheathe, but his shield was already raised to block it. I smirked, letting loose a flurry of slashes against his shield, pushing him back. His feet skidded along the ground. He shoved back, throwing him off of him.

I chuckled and spun, letting myself reorient myself as my blade once more entered its sheathe. Kai smirked, staring me down.

"Not a bad first move," he told me. "But I can do better." He ran at me, his sword dragging against the ground as he held his shield forward. I stood on guard, not sure what he was planning. Even I couldn't predict how he'd fight. He was always learning, always adjusting. I had to make this fight quick to win, but if I kept it going longer, it would be more fun. I smiled and weaved out of the way as he twisted mid stride, making a horizontal strike at me. I once more reoriented myself for a split second, slashing towards his legs, but his swor was there to block it.

Sheathe.

Strike.

 _Clang!_

Sheathe.

Strike.

 _Clang!_

This pattern repeated itself as we danced on the field, every one of my strikes blocked by his shield or his sword, intercepted before I could land a single hit. His face was set in stone, concentrating. I was pushing him as well. I spun, kicking his shield as I reached down and grabbed some dirt, throwing it at his face.

"Kuh!" His eyes shut as soon as I did so, and I took the opportunity to slice at his legs, leaving several lacerations in my wake. Kai stumbled back as part of the crowd cheered, and the other part jeered.

"You can do it, Kai!" someone shouted.

"You're our hero! No one can beat you!"

I smiled as Kai readjusted himself, standing a bit taller than before. He was really laying on the drama, but it was kind of fun.

 **"Kai! Kai! Kai! Kai! Kai!"** half of the crowd chanted. I smiled as Kai took a deep breath, his eyes filled with fighting spirit.

 **"ROOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAR!"** he let loose a [Howl]. It was mostly for show, but the crowd bought into it, cheering even louder. I laughed as Kai rushed me, letting loose powerful strikes. I weaved between them, trying to keep from getting sloppy as they were extremely choreographed. I grunted, though, feeling Kai's fist shoved into my gut. I slid back, wincing. Before I could recover, the man was on me, thrusting his blade through me.

My eyes widened as I brought my blade out and made multiple strikes on his torso, forcing him to stumble back. I breathed heavily, looking at my [HP]. He'd taken out a quarter of it already! I sighed and rested my hand on the pommel of my blade. I never thought I'd be pushed like this by him. A skilled shinobi like myself against an untrained novice? Well, I guess I got cocky.

"Not bad," Kai chuckled. "You took me down to [80%]." I stayed silent, not wanting him to know he'd gotten more out of me. "You better step it up, mate, or I'm gonna wreck you." I chuckled, sighing.

"Well, you made me have to bring this out…" I told him. "Prepare to gaze upon my glorious, giant staff!" He was silent for a second, before he burst out laughing.

 **XXXXX**

 **[Asuna]**

"Did he…" Lilly mumbled to me, as she was sitting beside me. "Did he really just say that…?" I was having trouble believing it as well. Kai was loving it, but I knew what Keito was talking about, and it wasn't the kind of staff Lilly and I would enjoy. In a flash of light, Keito's katana disappeared, and was replaced with a six foot long pole of wood. Kai had immediately stopped laughing, looking uneasy. In fact, most of the people looked unsure. It was easy to make a staff, you just make a long, strong pole out of wood. Anyone could do it at [Lvl] one. But to actually see someone use it? It was weird.

 **XXXXX**

 **[DaTa]**

 **[ watch?v=WDygxp01CG8 ]**

I laughed at Kai's befuddled face as soon as it appeared, but almost instantly, it was gone. There was understanding in his eyes. Yes, it was a massive, glorified stick. But it was still a weapon, and extremely versatile weapon. And a weapon that _I_ was holding, a fact that automatically made it dangerous. "Hoorah!" I shouted, spinning the staff above my head as I went in. Kai readied his shield and shifted his stance. I chuckled. Kai's way of fighting was not unlike Heathcliff's. They both relied on shifting from defense to offense seamlessly. While Heathcliff, though, relied on his [Holy Sword] [Skill] to make the shift for him, Kai made all the changes in a fluid manner. The way the sword and shield [Build] worked, was you mentally shifted the stance in your head. You couldn't use both at the same time. However, Kai was able to switch between what weapon he was using so quickly, it almost mirrored [Holy Sword].

 _Clang!_ My staff drummed off of Kai's shield, and I twisted around, aiming for the back of his head. Kai immediately ducked down, aiming to kick my legs from under me. I leapt into the air over him, using my staff like a pole-vault. I grinned and twisted around, swinging my staff once more against him. I managed to whack him in the face, setting him off balance. I immediately started to thrust with my weapon, managing a few strikes before Kai started blocking me with his shield. He grunted, adjusting his feet. I could tell that even now, he was learning.

I began my assault once more, swinging my staff and using both ends to strike as I held it in the center. While I landed the first few hits, the rest of them were either evaded, [Parried], or blocked. Damn, he learned fast!

"Sorry bud," he grunted, grinning. "I've learned all of your moves." He chuckled as he swung his sword at me, easily evading my strike to rip through my shoulder. "Heh, just in time, too! I've only got [55%] left." I winked.

"Not everything," I told him. I rested my hand down where I'd place it if my katana were still there. "Shift!" My staff disappeared, and my katana was once more [Equipped]. Without giving Kai a chance to recover, I swung at him. He blocked my attack, but just barely. I got a glancing blow on him. "Shift!" Once more, my katana was gone, and I was twirling my staff above my head. I swung it against his, his eyes widening. I grinned as he stumbled, his guard lowered. "Shift!" In an instant, I'd drawn my blade and impaled him, siphoning off the last of his health. Kai coughed as the [Victory Mark] appeared over my head, and I sheathed my blade once more, holding out my hand to help Kai stand. Sheers came from the crowed as he took it, and we shook hands.

"What the hell was that, bud?" he asked curiously. I chuckled. "Seriously, I've never seen that before!"

"You know how hotkeys work on a keyboard work, right?" I asked. He nodded. "And how you can [Favorite] [Items] in your [Inventory]?" He nodded once more, understanding lighting up in his face. "Well, if you [Favorite] only two [Items], you can switch between them without opening your [Inventory]."

"I… knew that…" Kai muttered. "Clever, bud… Very clever…" He laughed and smiled at me. "I guess I still have a lot to learn." He patted my shoulder. "But to think, I was almost able to beat a man with centuries more experience than me. That's pretty cool." I nodded.

"Well done, Kai," I congratulated him. "Want to go out for a drink? Maybe get some food?" Kai raised his hand.

"Nah, I'm gonna head home and love up my Aya some," he said. I could tell that last night's discussion wasn't even bothering him. He actually seemed excited. Maybe they sorted things out? "Anyway, this was fun. We should do it again sometime!" He raised his sword up into the air, getting loud cheers from the crowd, before walking towards the exit.

 **XXXXX**

 **[Collinia, Market] [October 21** **st** **, 2024] [5:21 PM] [TheKaiSenpai]**

I lightly sang to myself as I walked down the streets of the [Market], nodding and smiling towards any players that greeted me. Most of the store owners at this point were players, who all knew me because I'd buy from them. I had a few things for dinner in my inventory, as well as a bouquet of flowers I'd had made with the flowers on [Floor Forty-Seven]. It was a nice, sunny day and I was enjoying myself. The house that Aya and I had bought was on the outskirts of [Collinia], so I had a bit of a walk ahead of me.

"TheKaiSenpai!" a high pitched voice shouted out as I made my way out of the crowds. I turned to face whoever was calling me, and spotted a young girl running towards me. She was three-fourths my height, and looked to be around ten years old. I inwardly grimaced, hating that kids this age had actually been able to buy this game. Irresponsible parents… I got a closer look as she approached me, and I noticed she wasn't Japanese. She actually looked Arabian, or Israeli. Her skin was similar to mine, but had a more of a reddish-bronze color than my light bronze skin. Her brown eyes were wide and full of innocence though, and her hair was a dark, wavy brown that reached her waist. The girl was barefoot, but wearing a clean, white sundress, though. Her smile was actually infectious, and I couldn't help but smile when she got closer to me.

"Hey there, kiddo," I greeted her, ruffling her hair a bit. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be staying with your parents, or someone who's taking care of you?" She pouted, her arms crossed.

"I don't need supervision!" she grumbled back at me. "I'm perfectly fine on my own! Sheesh!" Her posture returned to normal, with her hands behind her back.

"Well what's your name?" I asked her, chuckling to myself. This kid was adorable. She sure had some spirit in her.

"Iaweh," She said, and my eyes widened. I looked down at Her, Her innocent expression gone and replaced with an amused and calculating one. I felt my hands trembling a bit at the pure pressure She was pushing onto me. In an instant, the pressure was gone, but She was still looking at me expectantly.

"What are You doing here…?" I asked Her, straightening myself. I walked down the streets with less of a skip in my step. "You told me that You would only come to me if something happened, so what's going on?" Iaweh walked beside me as if nothing were wrong, but I could see the pained expression on Her face.

"I… I'm sorry," She apologized to me. I looked down at Her, curious and afraid. "She… she didn't pass my test…" My heart sank. No… She wouldn't… "I… don't think you should go home right now," said the little girl. "It would hurt you too much…"

"I have to see for myself," I told Her, feeling my heart in my throat. No… it couldn't be true! It wasn't true! We'd made up last night! She assured me that everything was fine! Iaweh didn't say a word as we kept walking towards my house. As we approached, I could feel my own anticipation rising. We entered without making a sound, at Iaweh's insistence. My heart sank as I heard Ayako's voice in our room… As well as that of another man's...

I glanced at the girl beside me, getting a somber expression from Her. I knew what She was doing by showing me this. It wasn't to prove me right. To prove to me that I couldn't trust the women in my life. It was to apologize. Iaweh had pretty much placed me and Ayako together. She'd even helped me win the girl's heart, even though She admitted that I didn't need much help, and assured me that if everything went right, I'd get married, have kids, and settle down someday. I grimaced as I heard Ayako scream in ecstasy, the same expression crossing Iaweh's face. I knew… that I had to do something now.

"Please…" I asked of the girl beside me. "Please… harden my heart for this…" She nodded wordlessly, and I felt all of my hesitation slip away. I was still distraught and hurt, but I knew what I had to do. I walked into Ayako's room, startling both her and her… lover. He was a fairly attractive man, I'd admit. But it didn't really mean anything. "Mikonimi," I addressed her by her last name.

"Kai!" she exclaimed. "Wha-I can explain!"

"No need," I told her simply, pulling down my [Inventory] and tossing her a ring. It was a [Wedding Band], an [Item] used for proposals and giving you and another player the [Married] status. It was something I'd bought a few months ago and was excited to use. I didn't want it anymore. "I'm sorry…" I started. "That I wasn't here enough for you…"

"Kai… I…" Mikonimi tried to talk to me. "It was just so hard, always being alone while you were out being a hero!" I didn't look her in the eyes. The man she was with wisely kept quiet. "It was lonely every day… I met Akira and…"

"I know…" I tried to keep my emotions in check. Even with Iaweh's help in restraining them, everything was threatening to break loose. "Just… don't hurt him too…" I left without another word, not sure what to feel. I brushed past the little girl. I didn't stop walking. I didn't care where I went. I didn't care what happened to me. I just wanted out! I just wanted to leave! I just wanted to die! "RAAAAAAH!" I screamed, punching the wall of an empty alleyway. "Fuck! This! Fucking! Game!" With every cry I slammed my fist into the wall. "FUCK!" I felt myself starting to shut down, turning around and letting my back slide against the wall. I hung my head, staring at my feet.

The sun was shining. The birds were singing. Players went on with their everyday lives. And I hated it. How could I be a hero… if I couldn't even be a good fiancé…? If I couldn't even keep the woman I loved… how could I expect to keep hundreds of people under my command? I kept staring at the ground, even as two bare feet walked in front of me.

"Are you really going to let this keep you down?" She asked, Her voice laced with not just sadness, but disappointment. "You're Kai! You can get up on your feet from anything!" I didn't say anything, but I was listening to Her. She sighed and crouched in front of me, grabbing my chin and forcing me to look up at Her. In an instant, I wasn't looking at a little girl, but a young woman in the prime of Her life. Her hair was even longer, reaching down to Her knees, and Her eyes were sharper and fierce. Her face was more angular, with only a small amount of baby fat on Her cheeks. She stared into me. "I promised you a happy ending, didn't I…?" She whispered to me. "You of all people should know that I don't break my promises." I closed my eyes.

"Yeah…" I finally muttered. Iaweh sat beside me, legs straight out. She patted Her lap and frowned.

"Lay down," She told me. I did as She asked, laying my head on Her lap. Her thighs were soft, and it was pretty comfortable. I could feel my own cares and worried slipping away as I stared up at the sky, and Her face looking down at me. I felt Her fingers start running through my hair. It felt nice. "Shhh… just relax…" She whispered. "I'm right here… And I promise I won't let anyone else hurt you like that again…" She smiled at me. "I'm going to help you be a hero… Just like him… No, even greater than him…"

"Why are You helping me…?" I asked Her. Iaweh laughed. It was a beautiful laugh, like the sound of trees rustling with a spring breeze.

"Because…" She whispered. "Nobody deserves to live a life of pain and suffering…" I had to laugh at Her words. So, She reversed what I'd told DaTa all those years ago. But still… It meant a lot coming from Her. I found myself being pushed from Her lap. I groaned. "Stop whining. I've decided that I'm going to stay here with you for now."

"Huh? What about being God and all that stuff?" I asked Her. She smiled at me.

"Do you really think that I can't just split my essence?" She asked me. "Of course I have millions of other pieces of myself running the world. I can't be the Goddess of Order without being able to do that. But… most of my essence will be here with you." She crossed her arms. "I'll help you find someone good for you, alright? It seems like you need special help." With that, She stomped her foot, once more turning into a little girl. "Now let's go! As fine as I was being born in a stable, I don't want to live in an alleyway! You can buy another house, right?" I laughed. When Iaweh and I had first met, She had acted very regal and noble, but seeing this side of Her was kind of funny. Maybe it was all for my benefit, but I felt a little bit better. I took the little girl's hand, and we walked back into the open streets.

"So, if You're staying with me, what should I call you?" I asked her. Iaweh thought for a moment.

"Call me Sakura," she told me. For a moment, my heart skipped a beat, but I passed it off as nothing. "And when I'm with you, treat me like you would anyone else, ok?" I smiled, nodding. This… could be interesting.

 **XXXXX**

 **[Floor Seventy-Five] [Collinia, The Emperor's Suite] [November 5** **th** **, 2024] [1:30 PM] [DaTa]**

I couldn't help but keep looking at the little girl sitting on Kai's lap, eating Lilly's cooking happily. I knew it was Iaweh, but what was She doing here? She insisted on being called Sakura, though, and being treated like a normal girl.

 _"As far as anyone knows, Kai adopted me,"_ she had told me. _So just treat me like his daughter. Of course, treat me with respect too, but for now, I'm just Sakura."_ It was a bit weird, treating God like a little girl, but I guess since she was the one who gave me this second chance of mine, I owed her. Besides, it seemed to be good for Kai. He looked a lot more relaxed than I thought he would have. News had spread like wildfire about the fiancé of 'The Invincible Hero' going behind his back and cheating on him. The first day, Ayako was pretty much ostracized. Most people had turned against her. But after hearing of such things Kai had demanded that everyone not treat her badly.

While almost everyone did as he asked, there was always a tension wherever Ayako went. It was almost a suffocating feeling, and I'm sure that Ayako knew she messed up. In fact, she even tried to apologize to Kai, but I was there that day. I didn't let her anywhere near my best friend. I knew that her being around him would only hurt him further, and had threatened to throw her out if she didn't leave of her own free will. I might have over-reacted, but it didn't matter to me. What mattered was that Kai was happy having 'Sakura' around.

"You know, if you keep staring at her, I'll think you're some kind of pedophile," Asuna spoke up from beside me. I nearly broke my neck turning my head to face her, only to be met with a teasing smile. "You're too easy," she spoke in a sing-song voice. "It's really cute though." I turned back to look at the two. Kai was 'helping' Sakura play cards with Klein and Hisao. "I think having Sakura around is helping him." Asuna's voice turned sour. "I can't believe Aya would do such a thing… They seemed like they were so happy together…"

"It's not uncommon for video games to change people," I told her. "Look at Kai, after all. When I first met him, he was a very withdrawn, quiet person in public." I turned back to Asuna. Now look at him. A hero, someone who loves being around others." I paused. "Even yourself."

"Me?" Asuna looked surprised. "What do you mean, me?"

"Well, when I first met you, you were super formal and shy," I told her, making her pout. I had to smile at that. "And now? Well, you're a warrior now. A fighter, brash and crass and ready to kick ass!" Asuna blushed, looking away and squirming.

"Stop it…" she whimpered, but smiled. "Don't say such weird things in public!" I laughed and wrapped my arm around her, holding her close to me. She squeaked, and I could hear her making an irritated sound in the back of her throat, but she did nothing to push me away. Instead, she rested closer to my side.

"You were not planning on leaving me out, were you?" Lilly mentioned as she walked towards us. She sat on my other side, and nestled up close to me. I chuckled and wrapped my arm around her as well. Everyone was giving us amused looks, and I smirked, sticking my tongue out. Sakura, however, seemed uncertain about this. I ignored her though, closing my eyes. She told me that she wouldn't interfere, so I was going to hold her up to that promise. It was times like this that I could feel myself relaxing. I could imagine myself settling down and having a family with these two. It was a nice thought.

"I'm not ever going to leave you…" Asuna muttered into my shoulder. "I love you, Keito…" Lilly shifted, looking at me. Her hand rested on my cheek.

"I'm… here too," she added. "I doubt I could ever be with another man, if something were to happen. So I will remain with you as well." I chuckled, kissing them both, getting approving noises from both of them.

"Thanks, girls…" I mumbled, closing my eyes once more and relaxing. "That means a lot to me." There was silence between us all for a while, before Lilly spoke up.

"Please…" she mumbled. "When you leave for the [Boss Fight]… Please… be safe…" I smiled and held her tightly against me.

"I'll be perfectly fine," I told her. "I promise you, you won't lose me so easily." I paused, though. I knew that the fight would be deadly. But it was the last milestone until the final quarter of the game. Then, after the game was over… Then I'd allow myself to settle down.

I inwardly cursed. I'd still have to deal with Asuna's family, and Lilly's family on top of that. Well, no rest for the wicked, as they say. I'd deal with it when it came to that.

 **XXXXX**

 **[Floor Seventy-Five] [Collinia, Teleport Plaza] [November 7** **th** **, 2024] [12:45 PM] [TheKaiSenpai]**

I sighed, gazing out over the crowd of people gathered before us. I glanced at the information that DaTa had gathered for me about the [Boss Room], and kept in mind the things that Sakura had told me. According to Data, who was the only surviving member of the [Scouting Party], he had told me about [The Skull Reaper]. It had five [Health Bars], apart from the four that every [Boss] had up until now. It was an unpredictable [Boss] that would shift targets in an instant, almost like a living creature. I grimaced, it wasn't good news. Blocking an attack meant that the [Boss] might attack the players behind and around instead. That meant that this essentially became every player for themselves. I wasn't sure how to deal with this.

Sakura had told me not to worry, that everything would be fine, but I wasn't sure if she could protect everyone from this thing. I was also unsure on how DaTa had escaped. He had refused to comment on it. I figured it must be something relating to a past life, but he would neither confirm nor deny it. Speaking of Sakura, she sat on my shoulders as I stood in front of everyone. The little girl had taken a liking to doing things like that and acting like my daughter. It was kind of cute in a way. Still, the thought of God being my daughter was starting to grow a bit weird to me.

Beside me stood DaTa, who had a relaxed expression on his face. Well, more like a glow around him. I smirked, knowing exactly why. To my left, opposite of DaTa, was Noire, who DaTa had told me would be crucial in this [Raid]. I trusted him, so specifically added her and the [Shadow Clan] to the [Raid Party]. As the final players gathered in front of the [KoB] headquarters, I cleared my voice. Heathcliff was absent once more, I noticed. I would have to question him the next time I saw him.

"Thank you all for coming," I told everyone, gritting my teeth with anticipation. "As for any rumors flying around about yesterday's [Search Parties]…" I sighed. "Let me put them to rest. They are all true. Almost every member was killed by the [Floor Boss]." Worried murmurs began among the ranks. "However! DaTa was able to return in relatively good heath, and was able to inform us about the [Boss]." I smiled. "So let's hear a cheer for DaTa!" Soft cheers came from everyone. I chuckled bitterly.

"Hey," someone spoke up. "The little girl isn't coming with us, is she?" I grunted as Sakura pulled herself off of my shoulders.

"I'll have you know that I can kick all of your butts!" she shouted, pointing at the guy who had spoken up. I couldn't hide my amusement. "So you better watch your back, ok!?" I chuckled.

"Yes, she will be joining us," I told them. "Rest assured, Sakura is more than capable of fighting alongside of us. Just trust me." The ones I could see looked a bit skeptical, but they relented. "Now, where was I…? Ah, right! Well, we saved up a lot of [Col], and managed to get some of these!" I held up a [Corridor Crystal]. "We've gotten ten of them, so the next few [Floors] we'll have a way straight to the [Boss Room]. Now then." I used the [Crystal], a portal opening behind me. I turned, seeing the ornate [Boss Doors]. I walked through the portal and turned back to everyone once more, waiting for all of the players to enter through the portal before I let it close. I sighed, opening the doors before entering. "Eyes all around, even the ceiling!" I called out. I scanned the room, rearing the rattling of bones. Thinker walked up beside me, a two-handed sword in his hands.

"Above us!" a few people shouted. I looked up, seeing the massive, centipede-like [Boss] above us. I grimaced as it leapt down.

"Back up!" I shouted, forcing everyone to back up as the [Boss] slammed into the ground. It let loose a wail that sounded like a dying man who was stabbed. It was a haunting sound. I raised my blade, letting my own hatred and stress that I'd been letting build up since October fill me. I _hated_ this thing. I was going to murder it. Yet… even as I let my anger grow… Sakura took my hand, and I felt it all slip away. I looked down at her, and she shook her head slowly, giving me a stern look. I let out a sigh, glaring down [The Skull Reaper]. "Attack!" I shouted, watching the other players rush past me. The [Tanks] took up their usual stances, creating a wall in front of the [Support]. [DPS] flanked both sides, trapping the [Boss] in the middle, keeping it from escaping. I squeezed Sakura's hand and looked down at her again. "Let's kick some ass…" She nodded, smiling at me before grinning and staring down the [Boss]. We both [Sprinted] towards [The Gleam Eyes], leaping over the heads of the [Tanks]. I swung my sword back, poised to strike, as Sakura summoned a great sword twice the size of her, opposite side of mine. It was a shining golden leaf shaped blade, with a triangular pommel and a guard in the shape of wings. She let out a yell of fighting spirit, and I could feel myself feeling stronger, more energized. It must have affected the rest of the players as well.

The others had been fighting hard, but they all looked incredibly tired. The attacks of [The Skull Reaper] were strong, even able to knock out a chunk of [HP] from [Tanks], even after being blocked. But after Sakura's shout, they all seemed to move at a faster pace, fighting valiantly with battle cries of their own.

As one, Sakura and I sliced through [The Skull Reaper], instantly knocking it ouf of its first [Health Bar]. We landed on its left side, and I glanced at her. Sakura seemed to be radiating strength and warmth, almost glowing with a fierceness in her eyes, and a gentle smile on her face. She stood tall, and for a split second, I saw a tall woman dressed in full golden plate armor, staring down her enemy with grace and power. Her long hair flowed in the wind, and her eyes were shining gold. However, just as soon as the vision appeared, it was gone, replaced by little Sakura, grinning widely as she prepared for another strike. I looked at her weapon and held back a gasp.

[The Sword of the Spirit +50] was its name. Was this… the weapon of God!?

"It's health keeps falling!" someone exclaimed. I looked at the [HP] on [The Skull Reaper], and true enough, its [HP] kept falling at a rate faster than it had before, almost three times the speed.

"Holy weapons are poisonous against demonic entities," Sakura told me, holding her sword to her side. "Even in video games, this is a fact." She giggled, bouncing on her toes. "Ok! Let's keep going!" I chuckled, drawing my sword back as we [Sprinted] at the [Boss] again. Sakura seemed excited and eager. I couldn't help but admire the determination in her eyes as we danced around the [Boss'] many legs, slicing them as we weaved between them. I could hear Sakura laughing with glee. [The Skull Reaper] screamed loudly, but I could barely hear it as I focused on Sakura's laughter; the laughter of a happy child playing with their father. It made me smile. Before I knew it, the [Boss] was gone, exploding into polygons.

I chuckled as I stood in the center with Sakura, the rain of colors surrounding her. She looked enchanted by the colors, truly something special. I smiled and looked around us, feeling relaxed and happy for the first time in months. Everyone else, however, seemed less than thrilled.

"We lost four people…" DaTa sighed as he walked up to us. "Not as bad as usual… but it's still four more people dead…" He looked down at Sakura. "Thanks, kiddo… You did well…" He seemed unsure of how to talk to her, which I found kind of amusing. DaTa's eyes, though, rested on the staircase. "I guess we should go on to the next floor," he said. "Good luck. I'll see you later." With that, DaTa sauntered over to Asuna and took her hand, and they made their way to the stairs together.

 **XXXXX**

 **[Floor Eighty] [Learson Town, Black Flags Inn] [February 14** **th** **, 2025] [8:27 AM] [TheKaiSenpai]**

I yawned, stretching as I shifted in bed, the covers all over the bed. I was dressed down in a long-sleeved shirt and sweat pants, my usual sleepwear when I was sharing a room with someone. I blinked, opening my eyes just slightly. The light kind of hurt, so I kept them squinted. I sighed, noticing that Sakura was once more in the same bed as me. She'd been doing that more often, switching beds during the middle of the night. It was fine at first, but now it was just getting a bit annoying.

"Sakura…" I mumbled. "Go back to your own bed… You're taking up space…" I heard a deeper giggling than I was used to, and my eyes shot open. Instead of the young girl I'd been fighting alongside for the last four months, I was met with the smiling face of a young woman. Her eyes were a bright bronze, now, and her hair now had an almost sandy blonde tint to it. She was just a little bit taller than me, and was… we'll say well endowed. "Well…" I spoke curtly, trying to get a grasp on what I was seeing. "This is a thing."

"So it is," the woman replied. "How did you sleep, Kai?" She seemed pretty unperturbed by this, as if she'd always been like this. I could tell, though, she was trying not to laugh at my reaction.

"Um… fine," I replied, still trying to think of why she'd shifted her form so suddenly. I decided I might as well swallow my pride and ask her. "So… why the sudden switch?"

"Well, do you know what day it is?" she asked me simply. I tried to think, before my eyes wandered over to the date on my [HUD].

"Ah, ah, ah," she chided before I could take a look. "No peeking. Now, guess." I sighed, playing along with her game. Every-so-often she would play a memory game with me. At first it seemed silly, but I eventually came to learn its meaning. My memory with names and dates had always been rather bad, but when Sakura forced me to remember such things, I'd found myself improving in my own memory. "I'll give you a hint. Oregon became a state in the US today, one-hundred and sixty-six years ago." I stared at her blankly, making her sigh. "Um… Arizona also became a state today, one-hundred and thirteen years ago." She pressed on. "It's a major holiday."

"Oh fuck, it's Valentine's day already?" I asked, making her give me an amused smirk. She giggled, though, and shook her head.

"Haaaah… still hopeless," she teased me. "Oh well, that's why we're practicing." I pouted, making her laugh. It sounded as beautiful as the chiming of church bells on a wedding day.

"So today's Valentine's Day, what's that got to do with your sudden switch?" I asked. She rolled her eyes and smirked, sitting up. She was in a pure white nightgown. It was simple, but somehow it added to her beauty. I sat up alongside her. I couldn't help but stare at her.

"Don't be silly, Kai," she spoke in a soft voice. "You already know, why…" I closed my eyes, not sure if this was right. "It's not wrong. It's not bad to love, Kai. Don't ever think it's a bad thing to love."

"Yeah, but… you're _you_ ," I tried to explain it. "You're a deity! God! Lord of everything, ya know? I mean… I'm just… me. Even if I'm a hero among these players, to the rest of the world I'm just… some guy in a coma, stuck in a game that means nothing to the rest of the world." I sighed, looking down at the rather nice sheets on the bed. "There's no way I could-" Sakura turned my head, making me look at her.

"Don't you _ever_ doubt yourself!" she shouted at me, tears pooling in her eyes. "Kai… I _created_ you! I made you with my own two hands…" Said hands caressed my cheek, and held my own hand. "I know absolutely everything about you, even things you don't know about yourself. I crafted the way you are, the way you were, and the way you will be…" Her soft, sad gaze hardened. "So don't ever doubt or belittle yourself. Because I created you, not to be perfect as someone else, but to be perfect as _you_." She smiled softly. "Yet you… You constantly defy my expectations. You constantly surprise me, becoming something that… I never though you could be capable of, to be honest."

"Wha… really…?" I managed to rasp out. Sakura nodded.

"I gave you so much when I made you…" she told me. "I gave you the ability to know your own feelings. I gave you the ability to _truly_ feel. The ability to love unconditionally." She paused. "But… It also comes with the curse to hate unconditionally as well…" She looked back at me. "Anyone else would have gone off the deep end if they had this ability. They would hate everything around them, consumed by the emotions raging inside of them." She paused. "The last person I gave this gift to was Adolf Hitler."

"Wait, what!?" I shouted, making her give me a sharp look. I stayed quiet.

"But you…" she continued. "You kept hope. You kept onto your love, and never hesitated to spread it." She paused. "You had a few road bumps, but humans are still an imperfect race." She sighed. "What I'm trying to say is this; I… I love everybody in the world. I love them like a mother loves her children, but you… I've spent four months with you. I've shared a room with you. I've had dinner with you. I've fought alongside you. I've even sung beside you!" She blushed, blinking a few times. "I love everyone as my children… But I've never been… like this with them… I've never really explored their lives and lived here, physically with them. My Son did, but He was on a mission. He didn't have the time to be specifically intimate with anyone." She took a deep breath. "I've been more intimate with you than anyone else I've ever come across. I'd like to… be more than what we are right now."

I was at a loss for words, trying to take in everything she'd said. She… was in love with me because she'd spent time with me. As simple as it sounded, it kind of made sense. I think. "So…" I spoke slowly. "You… God… basically want to be my girlfriend?" She nodded. "Do you know how… weird this sounds?"

"I guess…" she mumbled. It was so weird seeing God flustered. Was this really the same God as the one in the bible? The 'sacrifice your son for me' God? The same God that drowned the entire Egyptian legion? The same God that had every firstborn son in Egypt killed? This was _that_ God!? "Well?" she asked me. "Do you accept my feelings or not? You don't even have to question them! You already know I love you with all of my heart!" I grimaced.

"Like… everyone else," I mumbled. Sakura's face hardened.

"It's not the same," she growled, grabbing me by my collar and shoving her face in front of mine, looking me in the eyes. "I love everyone the exact same amount, that's true," she admitted. "But I already told you, I love them like a mother loves their children. I love you like… like a wife loves her husband…" Her eyes softened once more. "So… do you accept my feelings…? I already know the answer, but I want you to say it…" I felt my breathing hitch, taking in her scent. She smelled sweet, like fragrant flowers, as well as a bit musky, like the air after a rainstorm. Somehow the two smells complimented one another.

"I-I do…" I told her finally, feeling my own mind softening at her presence. I felt soft, full lips press against mine. My mind exploded with emotions. Joy. Surprise. Lust. But first and foremost, love. It was an incredible feeling, and never in my life would I ever be able to truly describe it. It was… intoxicating. I finally felt myself kissing her in return, holding her close to me. I wanted more! More!

"Ah, ah, ah," Sakura teased me, pulling her lips away from me. Her eyes were half lidded and sultry, yet at the same time powerful and commanding. "First, we're going on a date," she told me. "Secondly, we're going to go to dinner." She continued, "Then… then I'll let you kiss me, more." She giggled and stood up, twirling as she landed on her feet. "Let's go, lazy bones! I want to spend quality time with you!" Oh man… just what did I get myself in to?

 **XXXXX**

 **A/N: Believe it or not, this little twist had been planned from the start. Ever since I'd introduced Iaweh as an existing figure, I had meant for her having some sort of relationship with Kai. My challenge was actually making it happen. I've mentioned a few times in the past that Kai has bad luck with women, and I knew the pattern had to continue. Well, Aya had the perfect excuse. While Kai was busy being a hero to [Aincrad], he still doesn't have much time with her. Plus, complacence is a thing. He might have been good about spending time with her some time ago, but old habits die hard.**

 **In regards to God being a girl, I think it matches Her pretty well. The biblical God tends to be pretty laid back and loving for the most part, caring for Her people and guiding them as best as She can. She is fair, however, and has the wrath of a woman. If She's been wronged, Her punishments are swift and brutal. The Hebrew's slavery into Babylon for worshipping false idols. The plagues upon Egypt. The complete wiping of the Earth via flooding for the wickedness in the world. Yeah, She's loving and kind, but She's also commanding and powerful, and has the temperament of a woman. What She says is law, and expects to be obeyed. Anyway, she's now a permanent character in this story, and will be appearing more often than Aya ever did. So far only Kai and Keito know she's actually God.**

 **I hope you enjoyed it! Ta-ta!**


	9. Chapter 9: The Endgame

TheKaiSenpai doesn't own SAO or anything else used here, and this is just something he does when he's bored.

 **XXXXX**

 **A/N: I apologize for the shortness, but this is a case of me simply losing interest. I'll be wrapping this up here and putting up the sequel as soon as I can. I really did love this story, but it was so limiting in what I could do with it. Plus, I lost my muse while I was visiting my relatives. I'm hoping my sequel to this can offer a bit more to me than this. Like I said, this was all meant to be a sort of prologue.**

 **Chapter 9: The Endgame**

 **[Floor Ninety-Five] [Boss Room] [March 20** **th** **, 2025] [10:25 AM] [TheKaiSenpai]**

I stared at the massive doors, sighing. We were almost done. Five more floors and we'd be finished. I glanced at my fellow Commanders. Us ten who had been gifted with [Unique Skills]. I chuckled hollowly. We were so goddamn close… I could taste victory. It was bitter. The amount of lives we'd lost was astonishing. Less than half of the total amount of players had survived. Admittedly it was still a lot, but comparatively… I just wanted to get everyone free as soon as possible.

 _"We're on a time limit,"_ DaTa had told me. _"Our outside bodies are crumbling, withering away. How long until people give up on them? I'd give them less than a year. We have to get out_ now _if we want any chance of escape."_

There were only thirty players this time in three man squads, each led by a single Commander. Mine and Heathcliff's were in charge of [Tanks]. Noire would be in charge of [Support]. Everyone else were in [DPS]. [Scouting Parties] had been all but removed, as they had no means of escape. Every [Raid] was against a mysterious enemy. Every fight was met with death. This was the last [Boss Room] that anyone but the Commanders would be taking part in. Since [Floor] ninety, every single regular player had died. Only us ten remained. It was… disheartening to say the least. These last twenty knew they were about to die. But they had volunteered their lives to ensure the safety of others. I turned to face them all.

"You are all very brave to come here," I told them. "You are all heroes. Live or die, you will all be remembered as such." I looked them all in the eyes. Fearless. Determined. Accepting. I gave them each a smile. "Let's kick some ass," I told them. "Hoorah!"

 **"Hoorah!"** they cheered in reply. I turned back to the doors and kicked them in. The interior was a long hallway, Roman-esque columns lining the sides. Evening light filtered in through the massive windows, giving it a yellowish tint. At the end of the hall stood a tall, solitary figure. It was no taller than Heathcliff, and was dressed in full knight's plate armor. I shuddered. This was the first time we'd faced down anything this size. Obviously, it meant it would be much harder to face.

"Don't let it deceive you," I told them as we approached the shadowy figure. We were midway down the hall before we were halted by a voice.

"Stop there," spoke a surprisingly human voice. It was… female? The figure walked towards us, its face lit now by the entering light from the outside. "You are trespassing upon the King's lands. Turn back now, and no harm shall befall you." She was a pretty lady, European in descent it seemed.

"Please, let us pass," I asked of her, hoping to resolve this peacefully. "We are but weary travelers, searching for our way home. While I could feel the incredulous looks of my fellow players on my back, it got the result I was hoping for. The woman paused, giving me a quizzical look.

"You will not find it here, traveler," she replied, her expression hardening. "If I may, I would have the name of the man who has offered his own life."

"Kai," I told her. She scowled.

"His _real_ name," she demanded. I grimaced. So she knew, somehow. I sighed and placed away my weapons, approaching her slowly. Her stance became ridged, but I raised both of my hands in peace. She allowed me to come closer.

"My name is…" I whispered it into her ear. "I would rather it not be common knowledge, if you may?" She nodded in approval as I returned back to the side of my peers.

"I see," she spoke softly. "I hope to make this a fair fight. I will face your ten greatest warriors," she announced. "So long as the rest do not interfere, they will live and may pass, even if their ten chosen champions fall to me. But if even one of them interrupts our duel, all of their lives are forfeit." All of the Commanders looked amongst ourselves. We stepped forward. "Very well. Fight with honor! Hurrrraaaah!" Like lightning, she was upon us, fire burning in her eyes. She used a sword and shield, like myself. Her name was [Gwen the Shield Maiden]. I could only guess that she was an elite knight of some sort. Her [Health Bar] was just like that of a player's.

[Gwen] had charged towards me, striking my shield just as I had it raised. I grunted, being pushed back from the sheer force of her swing. "Mech!" I growled.

"On it!" replied the boy. He was in the air, and his mace slammed into the ground not far from [Gwen]. The ground started to rupture in a line towards the woman, before it reached her. She immediately skidded away from me as a huge explosion erupted from where she had just stood. MechManiC's [Unique Skill], [Explosive Smash]. As [Gwen] leaped backwards, Sachi let loose with her own [Unique Skill], [Infinity Spear]. She raised her hands, multiple spears appearing above her. She lowered her arm, 'throwing' them at the woman. While two scraped her, the rest either missed or were blocked.

"Die!" Amako roared, swinging her massive war axe through the air. Shockwaves appeared, flashing towards [Gwen] as she weaved through them almost effortlessly. However, I saw that a few of them were hitting her. This was Amako's [Shockwave Swing].

"Hah!" Asuna suddenly appaered, rapidly striking [Gwen] without fail. [Gwen] grunted, raising her shield to block more incoming strikes before swinging at Asuna. She was gone in and instant though, reappearing next to Noire with her [Instant Travel] [Unique Skill]. From behind, DaTa appeared. He was grinning as he lightly touched [Gwen]. The instant he did so, she froze, and DaTa's right eye flashed red.

"[Rapid Draw]," he mumbled, before raining a flurry of blows upon [Gwen]. It took her down to the yellow of her [HP]. [Gwen] screamed, before dropping her shield.

"Die!" she shouted, gripping her blade with two hands before swinging at DaTa. She sliced him across the chest, dropping him into the red as he stumbled back. She went to strike him down, but multiple small ninja stars struck her from behind. Noire was there, throwing the stars with seemingly no limit. Her [Shurikenjutsu] [Unique Skill]. I grinned. We could do this! "Enough!" [Gwen] roared, slamming her blade into the ground. The ground shook, setting us all off balance while she seemed unaffected. In the middle, however, her shadow began to stredch, growing behind her. "Gah!" she cried as a slash appeared on her back, a hooded figure stepping out from her shadow. I grimaced. He was the last person with a [Unique Skill] aside from Heathcliff and myself, but he was a former member of the [Laughing Coffin]. He was sketchy, but he sword up and down that he was reformed. Nobody really knew his name, and we really didn't want to know.

[Gwen] was in the red, and boy was she pissed off. Flames erupted from her, and she charged at me. "I'll cut off your head!" she screamed, blade ready to hit me. Sachi's spears and Noire's shuriken were all melting before they hit her. I grinned, though, raising my shield. I chuckled as she came closer.

 **"ROOOOOAAAAAAR!"** I let loose with my [Shout of Honor]. It was a luck based [Unique Skill] that had all sorts of effects that happened at random. Some of them would defend you, while others made you more vulnerable. I laughed as wind funneled around me, creating a small tornado around me that interrupted the lightning surrounding [Gwen]. She growled as she was buffeted by the heavy winds. "Strike now, and silence this woman!" I cried. Kirito burst forth past my winds, landing directly in front of [Gwen] with both swords drawn. He struck rapidly, taking out the last of her health. [Gwen] let out a loud scream as she died, keeping me from smiling. I sighed as the door at the end of the hall opened.

"That was… easy…" Kirito mumbled.

"It's almost as if someone _wants_ us to finish this game quickly," Asuna added. DaTa's eyes landed on Heathcliff.

"It does seem odd," DaTa spoke up. "That the game suddenly became easier as our chances of being set off life support in the real world increases. Wouldn't you say, Kayaba?" We all shot looks at DaTa, then at Heathcliff.

"DaTa, what are you talking about?" Asuna asked curiously. I was pretty curious, myself. Did he think Heathcliff was Kayaba?

"I see, so you figured me out," Heathcliff replied. We froze. "I have to say, it took you a while to call me out on it."

"I wanted to be sure," DaTa replied. We were all staring at the two of them in shock. What was this!? "After all, if I was wrong, then all credibility for myself would have been lost."

"That makes sense," Heathcliff, no Kayaba, replied. "However, I admit that you are correct. As this game draws on, the likelihood of everyone dying meaninglessly rises. I can already tell you that the outside world is starting to forget about everyone trapped in here, and soon enough, everyone will die as they begin considering everyone lost causes." Kayaba paused. "I am not heartless. I will admit, I was meant to be the final [Boss] of this game. However, due to the shortage of time, I would not risk everyone's life on 'what ifs'. I will give you all a chance to face me here and now, to determine everyone's freedom."

I grit my teeth as the man spoke. I really wished Iaweh had been here, she could have taken this guy down easily. But she had things to do in Heaven, and left a few floors ago. "Kai," Kayaba spoke up. "Kirito. Keito. You three have surprised me. I had meant it for Kirito to be the only one to face me in this duel, but the three of you have managed to claw your way to the top, together. So, I will give you a choice." He looked among us. "Choose two of yourselves to fight me." Kirito immediately stepped forward.

"I'm gonna tear you a new asshole, old man," Kirito growled. "At least then you can take a shit twice as fast. Maybe it'll take you an hour at least." DaTa and I both stepped forward at the same time.

"I have more experience," DaTa told me frankly. I paused.

"I…" I tried to argue. DaTa gave me a soft look.

"Get your happy ending, Kai," he told me, smiling. "I'll be fine." I had a bad feeling in my gut. Something bad was going to happen. I just knew it! Someone was going to die! He turned to Kayaba. "Let's get this over with." The man nodded, before pulling down his [Menu]. Suddenly, my body went rigid, as did everyone else's except for Kayaba, Kirito, and Kai. I grimaced, feeling myself fall to the ground. What the hell!? I watched them, in pain, as they set themselves up. DaTa, with his hand on the pommel of his katana. Kirito, readied in a kendo stance with his two swords. Kayaba, relaxed as could be. I grimaced, trying to think a way out of this. I grinned. Maybe…

 **XXXXX**

 **[DaTa]**

So it was down to this… Just us three. I chuckled internally, knowing that this would be fun. To the death or not, I was going to get everyone out. And I was going to enjoy myself with this. As if an unspoken word went between us, Kirito and I rushed him. I couldn't use any in-game [Skills]. No doubt Kayaba knew how to counter each one. That left things I already knew. Too bad for him, I had plenty of experience on my own.

 _Clang!_ Kirito's blades crashed into Kayaba's shield. I chuckled, [Sprinting] past and appearing on the man's other side. "Executioner's Blow!" I roared, once more appearing on the side I came from. Several lacerations appeared on Kayaba. While one-on-one he was formidable, he was less than decent at fighting on two fronts. That was his weakness.

"Ah!" Kirito shouted, being knocked back by Kayaba's shield.

 _ **"ROOOAAAAAAR!"**_ Kai shouted off to the side. I saw him catch fire, an effect of his [Shout of Honor]. What was he trying to do?

 _ **"RRROOOOAAAAARRR!"**_ The rest of the room replied to him, though. Kayaba quickly ran towards me, shield ready to block any attack I could make on him as he readied a strike. I weaved out of the way, slashing at his face, which he promptly blocked. I grinned.

"Shift!" I laughed out, spinning my steel staff above my head and slamming it into him. Kayaba stumbled back, lifting his shield just in time to block Kirito's swings. I ran at him once more, jabbing at him with my staff. They were blocked, though, by the older man's sword. I cursed under my breath. "Shift!" My blade flew from its hilt, slamming against the man's sword, knocking it away. Time to kick it up a notch.

"Hah!" Kirito kept his shield busy as I flipped. My hands landed on the ground and I used them to spring me up, kicking Kayaba in the jaw. He stumbled just long enough for Kirito to land two strikes on the man's back. Kayaba spun, slashing my friend with his own blade. I growled.

 _ **"ROOOAAAAAAAR!"**_ The ground around Kai froze. I grimaced. Was he just trying to distract Kayaba? I chased after the two as Kayaba blocked each of Kirito's attempts to land a strike, once more slashing down at the boy. He was in the red. No! He wouldn't die here!

"Head's up!" I shouted. I threw my sword at the old man, scratching the top of his head, sending him into the yellow. Kayaba frowned as he turned to me, deeming me the bigger threat. "Well… Hey there…" I chuckled, shifting my staff to my hands. I grinned nervously. It had gotten his attention all right, but that probably wasn't the smartest move. Still, it gave Kirito some time to recover. "Come at me big boy!" I slammed my staff on the ground a few times. "Come at me!"

"You're insufferable," Kayaba mumbled before swinging at me. I weaved around him as he swung, taking potshots at him with my staff every so often. He finally managed a strike on me, though, and sent me skidding backwards. Fuck, he got me in the yellow with one hit!? I grimaced and looked up, blocking his next strikes. I winced, watching as my [HP] was lowered with every hit. How strong was he!? "I was hoping for more of a challenge from the both of you."

 _ **"ROOOOOOOAAAAAAAR!"**_ Kai screamed again. I couldn't look at him, though. I was trying to block every strike Kayaba sent my way. I avoided some of them, but knew blocking was my best option. Dammit, Kirito! Fuck, fuck, fuck! Ten percent… Eight percent… Ow! Six… Four… "Don't lay another hand on my friend!" Kai screamed as Kayaba's blade came in for another strike. My eyes widened as Kai's body flew in front of mine.

 _Shiiick!_ Was the sickening sound I heard. I froze, Kai's body, falling to its knees. Kayaba's sword was impaled through him. I ran forward, looking down at my friend. "K-Kai…" I mumbled, pulling him close to me. "What…?"

"Heh…" he mumbled, looking up at me with a wide smile. "Didn't I tell you…? The hero… always comes in… at the last second…" He chuckled hollowly. "I promised you… your happy ending… So go get 'em… _Sensei…_ " Recognition flashed in his eyes. For a moment, I didn't see the black haired young man, but a blonde haired boy with whisker marks on his cheeks, and bright blue eyes. The life faded from his eyes, and he was gone.

"No…" Noire whispered as Kayaba picked his sword up from the ground.

 _Nine seconds_.

I could win in that time. I screamed. I saw red. I lunged at Kayaba with hatred filling my veins. I attacked viciously, my staff a blur as I attacked him in rage.

 _Eight seconds_.

 **"I'll murder you!"** I screamed, tears flowing from my eyes. _Clang! Clang! Clang!_ Each hit blocked. But I was striking with such force that his [HP] was lowering with every strike. But it wasn't enough. Faster! Faster! Murder! Die! Die! DIE! DIE! _**DIE!**_

 _Seven seconds_.

I could hear Asuna calling out to me. She was crying. Why was she crying?

 _Six seconds_.

No! I could do this! I wouldn't let Kai die here!

 _Five seconds_.

I was so close! Just a little more!

 _Four seconds_.

No! I wasn't going to make it!

 _Three seconds_.

I had to! I had to do this! He was in the red!

 _Two seconds_.

I could hear them cheering me on. I could hear Kirito shouting. It didn't matter. I could make it! I was so close I could taste it!

 _One second_.

Ten more hits! Nine! Eight! Seven! He was just barely hanging on and he knew it! He knew he was going to die! He-

 _Zero_.

I felt my heart stop. My blood ran cold. I… I was… No, I could still do this! He could still be alive! _**"DIIIIEE!"**_ I screamed, slamming my staff into Kayaba's head. He looked at me with an impassive face… And shattered… I fell to my knees. This… I was… Kai was… I glanced at myself, and saw Kayaba's sword sticking out of me. Well… fuck… Then… my body… became no more…

 **XXXXX**

I found myself standing in the skybox, outside of the floating castle. It was beginning to crumble. I blinked, my heart aching. I looked around for Kai. He was nowhere to be seen. I… failed him…

"You did well," a voice spoke up from behind me. He was a pale haired man, dressed in a lab coat. He was lanky, but otherwise looked just healthy. I hated him. "To think that Kai would exploit his own [Shout of Honor] [Unique Skill] like that to save you. He was a good man." Despite the hatred I felt… I couldn't bring myself to attack him. I still glared at him, though.

"You're a monster," I growled. Kayaba didn't seem too bothered by that. "Making a world and using unwilling people to fill it… You're sick." He shrugged, looking down at his own crumbling world.

"I lost the meaning of 'why' a long time ago," he told me. "Perhaps you are right. Maybe I wanted a world of my own creation, and have it so lifelike, that I tricked other people into it. Just to live out my own selfish fantasy." He paused. "Or perhaps there was another reason. I suppose it doesn't matter, now. You've beaten the game. I assure you, you'll survive. You died after it was cleared, so the system doesn't officially count you as dead." He started to walk away, but paused. "The NerveGear was never designed to function for much more than a year or two. It was always meant to become obsolete by the constant flows of technological advancements. A stepping stone, if you will." With that, he kept walking on. "Perhaps, somewhere, Kai is still alive, waking up just as everyone else is. After all, after time all electronics will fail." Then I was alone, watching as Kayaba's greatest creation crumbled to pieces. I held onto that last sentence, though. Maybe Kai _was_ alive. I grinned.

"If that's the case…" I mumbled to myself. "I'll just have to find you, myself!" I smiled, clinging onto that last visage of hope as all turned to white.

 **XXXXX**

 **[Rakuwakai Marutamachi Hospital] [Kyoto] [March 20** **th** **, 2025] [12:34 PM] [Suzuki Hana]**

The halls were filled with hospital staff as I walked down them. I wasn't entirely sure why. Had something happened? My eyes flew wide with worry. Were they taking everyone off of life support!? The nurses had spoken of such a few times, but I thought they would at least ask me before essentially killing my only son! I ran down the halls, flowers in one hand as I made my way to my son's room.

Ever since my husband and I had found his note, we'd been worried sick about him! At first we thought it was some strange prank, and we were going to scold him on it as soon as he finished playing his game. But then he never woke up. The news said everyone was trapped inside the game he was playing, and that removal of the system would kill them! I remember crying. I remember… sobbing in my husband's arms as the paramedics wheeled our son away, that damned gaming system still attached to his head! As the years went by, however, my husband shifted his focus from our son to his job. I… did the same, not long after he did. After all, we had to cover Keito's medical bill. While the government was doing what they could, they would only fund the hospitals for a small amount of time. We had no idea what was going on in that game until a few years ago, when something was sent to everyone in Japan.

It had been my friend who had emailed me a link to a live-stream of the game. Apparently they were in some dungeon facing a boss. I was an old gamer, myself, but all of these new things were surprising to me. What really got to me, though, was that boss flying in the air, with people panicking underneath it. That was when I saw my son. He stood bravely with a few other people and commanded them like a war veteran. I couldn't have been more afraid for him when that… thing slammed into the other man's shield, and he climbed on with two others. But… I was proud of him. I knew, at that moment, that my son truly was someone who could take care of himself. And I was proud to know that he was _my_ son. And that he loved both his father and myself.

When I arrived at the door, it was shut. I could hear people talking inside, including… I swung the door open, and tears filled my eyes. It was my baby boy, with that cursed helmet off of his head! He was frail. He was bony. His hair was overgrown and shaggy and dirty, but he was my boy! With him was a man dressed in a suit. He looked official, like he was from the government.

"Thank you for your time, Suzuki," the man said, garnering a nod from my son. He walked past me, and I could barely hold back my smile. My beloved Keito smiled right back at me, his eyes tired, but happy.

"Hey… mom…" his voice rasped. "Been a while…"

 **The End**

 **XXXXX**

 **A/N: Despite shortening the end, I'm proud of this. Not because it was particularly brilliant, or anything. Just because I finished it. I proved to myself I can finish a story. There will be a sequel, I can tell you that. It will tie up some of the loose ends I've made while having its own plot and set of characters. The loose ends were on purpose, by the way. Things like what happened to Kai, and what Iaweh was doing. Of course, that isn't to say that DaTa, Lilly, and Asuna will all be ignored, but… Well, you'll see. Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed this little prologue. I will see you all in the sequel.**

 _ **The Legacy Of The Invincible Hero**_


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